Leadership roles of physician leaders - A qualitative research on the leadership roles of the chief physicians and heads of department in the Central Finland Central Hospital
BACKGROUND Empirical research on physician leadership is sparse in Finland and the definition of physician leadership is not unambiguous. In order to educate towards better performance in physicians' leadership roles and improvement of leadership skills, more research which takes into account the features of Finnish healthcare is needed.
METHODS The subjects (n = 22) of the empirical study were chief physicians and heads of department in the Central Finland Central Hospital. A leadership role model originally developed by Quinn (1717 Quinn RE. Beyond Rational Management. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA 1988.) but adapted to the Finnish context by Ollila (1616 Ollila S. Osaamisen strategisen johtamisen hallinta sosiaali- ja terveysalan julkisissa ja yksityisissä palveluorganisaatioissa–Johtamisosaamisen ulottuvuudet työnohjauksellisena näkökulmana. Acta Wasaensia (156), 2006.) was used as the theoretical starting point of the interviews to define the roles of leadership.
RESULTS In leadership roles, the emphasis on a leadership or a management approach varies from situation to situation, which is why there are several leadership roles. Roles need to be switched depending on the leading situation. Ollila’s/Quinn's (1616 Ollila S. Osaamisen strategisen johtamisen hallinta sosiaali- ja terveysalan julkisissa ja yksityisissä palveluorganisaatioissa–Johtamisosaamisen ulottuvuudet työnohjauksellisena näkökulmana. Acta Wasaensia (156), 2006.,1717 Quinn RE. Beyond Rational Management. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA 1988.) leadership role model is only partially suitable for elucidating leadership roles of physician leaders.
CONCLUSIONS The leadership approach of a physician leader is expressed in different leadership roles which vary depending on the situation. Physician leaders recognize their leadership position, but it is overshadowed by the perception of leadership work as less important than patient work.
