I didn’t depart from medicine due to a loss of faith in the healing capabilities of the white coat. I left upon realizing that, in the contemporary health care landscape, healing often necessitates more than a stethoscope.

My journey commenced in India, where I obtained my medical degree and practiced within a health care framework that, akin to many globally, grapples with the dual obstacles of constrained resources and elevated patient demand. I witnessed firsthand how clinicians frequently had to fill in for systemic deficiencies, maneuvering through congested wards, disjointed policies, and a burdened workforce. Even under those challenging circumstances, my interest was piqued not only by the scientific aspects of medicine but also by the frameworks surrounding it. Why did systems fall short for providers? Why were effective policies seldom executed properly?

I am presently pursuing a master’s in health care administration in the U.S., bringing along the same clinical instincts applied to operations, policy, and strategy. As I gained insights into the mechanisms behind health care delivery, it became increasingly clear: healing systems is as vital as healing individuals.

Bridging the gap between clinical reality and administrative decision-making

Throughout health care systems, I’ve noticed an expanding divide between the boardroom and the bedside. Administrators typically function with limited insight into clinical workflows. Clinicians, on the other hand, are often excluded from critical strategic discussions that directly influence their capacity to provide care.

This disconnection results in policies formulated in abstraction: staffing models that fail to represent actual patient acuity, technologies that disrupt rather than facilitate care, and burnout that is addressed only reactively, if at all.

Clinically versed health care leaders can alter this scenario. We serve as a bridge, infusing clinical empathy and operational transparency into the same discourse.

Leadership, shaped by lived clinical experience

When physicians or other health care professionals pursue administrative leadership roles, they’re not distancing themselves from care; they are enhancing it. They leverage their frontline experiences to create systems that function more effectively for everyone involved.

Having experience as a provider, I understand what it means to make decisions under clinical strain. That insight doesn’t vanish when transitioning to the administrative realm; it becomes your guiding principle. It aids in formulating sensible policies, workflows that safeguard your staff, and frameworks that prioritize patients over profits.

Constructing the pipeline for clinician leaders

Despite the demand, the transition from clinical practice to leadership is still insufficiently developed. In many contexts, the conventional expectation is for clinicians to remain in clinical roles. However, those who wish to broaden their impact should be empowered to do so with encouragement rather than doubt.

What can assist:
– Investing in dual-degree programs (MD/MHA, MD/MPH) and presenting them as transformative leadership pathways
– Establishing mentorship networks within hospitals and health systems for clinicians interested in leadership roles
– Reframing the narrative: this is not about abandoning medicine; it’s about leading it in an alternative manner

Final reflections: Healing the system is still a form of providing care

Today, I no longer wield a scalpel or a stethoscope. Yet, I continue to practice medicine, albeit through different means.

As a clinically trained health care leader, I bring the same dedication I held at the bedside to boardrooms, team meetings, and strategic dialogues. I advocate for workflows that aid staff and protect patients. I champion decisions that accurately reflect the realities of care, beyond mere spreadsheets. And I believe that those who have worn the white coat possess an unparalleled clarity when it comes to constructing systems that serve people, not just processes.

A provider remains a provider, regardless of the environment. And our systems require more of them in leadership now more than ever.

Vandana Maurya is a health care executive.