This is the first of a four-post series featuring a whitepaper authored by Dan Phillips (Partner), a guest blogger from Phillips DiPisa*.

“We got to think differently.”
– Brad Pitt, as Oakland A’s General Manager Billy Beane, in Moneyball

I’m a longtime baseball fan. And so when they came out with a movie based on one of my favorite books – Moneyball – I was eager to go see it. I wasn’t disappointed; I thought Brad Pitt did a terrific job playing the A’s general manager, Billy Beane.

But I have to admit, I had forgotten one important thing since reading the book a few years ago: Moneyball isn’t so much about baseball as it is about change.

In the case of the 2002 Oakland A’s, who had the lowest salary budget in baseball that year and, therefore, an inability to buy their way to success, change meant finding a different way to assess, recruit, and utilize baseball players and their skills. It nearly worked for the A’s that year, and it fundamentally and permanently changed the game of baseball.

As I watched the movie, I was reminded of how entrenched the healthcare industry can be in doing things a certain way. Not in the same way as major league baseball, necessarily, but certainly to a similar degree.

The impact of this touches every aspect of our business, not the least of which relates to executive recruiting and hiring. Thanks to rapidly rising costs, ongoing changes in rules and regulations, and widespread dissatisfaction among stakeholders of all types, the profile of the “ideal” healthcare executive has necessarily evolved.

What worked in the past won’t work anymore; as Billy Beane observes, “We got to think differently.” Here then, are three areas in which healthcare leaders will need to excel…

To be continued…

*Phillips DiPisa is a trusted executive recruitment & placement firm for healthcare & life sciences. Since 1994 they’ve provided healthcare recruitment services for healthcare providers and managed care organizations, recruiting the best of the best for executive teams. To find out more, visit their website or blog, or find them on Facebook.

This is part 5 of 5. The article was originally written back in 2006. We’re reviving it now to show that interim trends haven’t changed much in the last five years.

6) Take full advantage of the interim’s skills and perspective. One benefit of an interim executive is that you get immediate access to a seasoned executive to run the department, Corvino observed. Greenwich Hospital didn’t want its interim executive to merely keep the department afloat. Like any experienced leader, an experienced interim executive “can raise the bar a bit” and keep the organization moving forward, Corvino said.

In particular, he noted, the organization wanted to ensure that the interim executive set goals and objectives for the staff.

Although it’s not uncommon for organizations to hire their interim executives permanently, most interim executives aren’t looking for permanent jobs. As a result, they may bring a level of objectivity that is not often seen in people seeking fulltime employment or a long-term future with an organization. In fact, some organizations hire interim executives primarily to mentor internal candidates who have the potential to move up into a vacant position.

For many reasons — such as a desire to work fewer than 12 months a year, an enjoyment of the variety that interim assignments provide, a wish to avoid relocating their families, or even an enthusiasm for having an impact on many different healthcare organizations — many executives prefer interim work.

Kirk, for example, said her interim director isn’t interested in the job permanently. “She loves the job she does, and she loves being an interim,” Kirk said. As a result, Kirk is able to tap the interim’s skill and knowledge to help review applications from potential permanent candidates.

7) And, last but not least, don’t be afraid of the process of hiring an interim executive. Although interim executives are becoming more common in healthcare, many organizations in the industry have yet to hire their first interim leader and are naturally unfamiliar with the process. For example, Kirk said that, before she worked with LFT, she wasn’t aware of any business that specialized in placing interim healthcare leaders.

Kirk’s advice to other healthcare executives considering hiring an interim executive for the first time – Don’t be afraid to try it.

Click here to read this whitepaper on our website.

$500 Referral or Sign-on Bonus!

Please submit resumes for consideration to jjacobson@leadersfortoday.com

Interim Positions:

Interim Director of Labor & Delivery Clinical Services – Location: South-West

Interim Director of Medical Records/HIM – Location: New York

Interim Director, Emergency Services – Location: Connecticut

Interim VP of Medical Affairs – Location: New Jersey

Interim Director of Emergency Department – Location: Pennsylvania

Interim Director of Cardiac Cath Lab Services – Location: New Jersey

Interim Executive Director of Accredidation & Standards – Location: Massachusetts

Permanent Positions:

Perioperative Services Manager – Location: New York

Director of Case Management – Location: Massachusetts

Director of ICU – Location: New Jersey

Director of Laboratory – Location: Massachusetts

Director of OB/GYN – Location: Massachusetts

Director of Perioperative Services – Location: Vermont

Senior Project Manager, Quality Charge Capture – Location: Massachusetts

Chief Philanthropy Officer – Location: Massachusetts

Perioperative Clinical Coordinator – Location: Massachusetts

Manager of PACU – Location: Massachusetts

Manager of CCU/Medical Overflow Unit – Location: Massachusetts

Director of Perioperative Services – Location: Massachusetts

Administrative Director of Perioperative Services – Location: Rhode Island

This is part 4 of 5. The article was originally written back in 2006. We’re reviving it now to show that interim trends haven’t changed much in the last five years.

3) Make sure the interim’s assignment is clearly outlined. Corvino noted the importance of being very clear about what you want the interim to accomplish and the associated deliverables. And, he added, it’s valuable when hiring to let the interim executive know the scope of the decisions he/she is responsible for. Lay out both the goals for, and the boundaries of, the assignment.

These boundaries can be modified if needs change. For instance, in our work with clients, LFT has observed that healthcare organizations’ unanticipated executive absences can sometimes extend longer than originally expected. Interim executives offer valuable insurance for these challenging situations.

4) Communicate with the staff about the interim’s role. Before the interim director of emergency room services began work at Mercy Medical, Kirk met with the department staff and, with the interim’s permission, shared the interim’s resume. Staff members, she said, were grateful to have someone coming in to lead the department during a period of transition. You want to communicate clearly with the people reporting to your interim executive about the scope of the interim executive’s assignment and what the expectations are for the interim executive and the staff.

5) Get your interim executive off to a good start. Mercy Medical Center’s interim director for the emergency room “has been an outstanding asset to us,” Kirk said. She noted that wait times in the emergency room have decreased by more than 40% during the interim executive’s tenure.

One key to a successful experience like that is making sure the interim executive has adequate information when starting the assignment. When her interim executive began work, Kirk said, the individual met with both Kirk and the CEO, and together they discussed the concerns of the department. The interim executive met with the staff and key physicians, and conducted several days of on-site evaluation of the department. She also attended the hospital’s day-long orientation program for new employees, which covers topics ranging from the organization’s mission and values to its computer programs.

To be continued…

Click here to read this whitepaper on our website.

This is part 3 of 5. The article was originally written back in 2006. We’re reviving it now to show that interim trends haven’t changed much in the last five years.

Choosing and Working with an Interim Executive

Many organizations have little familiarity about hiring an interim executive. With that in mind, here are seven strategies that can help you successfully navigate the process:

1) Choose a reputable interim executive management firm. Have trust and confidence in the firm you select to assist you in recruiting your interim executives. This includes feeling comfortable with the process and being confident that the firm understands your own organization’s needs and goals. You also need to believe that your chosen firm can identify world-class interim executives.

2) Articulate the objectives for your interim executive. When you contact an interim executive management firm, describe your need and the specific skill set you are seeking. Be prepared with a job description, an organizational chart, and a description of your organization.

Do you want your interim to be a change agent? Or do you want more simply to keep your organization functioning smoothly during a vacancy? Consider these questions as you set your interim’s objectives and scope of work. Because this is an interim assignment, keep your list of objectives to a narrow set of expectations, generally three to five priorities.

The firm you select will identify candidates and present them to you. You’ll then begin an interview process, which you can conduct either over the phone or in person. Your interim executive management firm should provide references for all the candidates.

While it may take several weeks before any candidate can begin work, your selection process needs to move quickly. (At Leaders For Today we aim to complete our entire process — from initial client consultations to securing a signed candidate contract — in three to five days.)

To be continued…

Click here to read this whitepaper on our website.

$500 Referral or Sign-on Bonus!

Please submit resumes for consideration to jjacobson@leadersfortoday.com.

Interim Postions:

Interim Director of Quality – Location:  Massachusetts

Interim Director, Emergency Services – Location:  Connecticut

Interim Chief Financial Officer – Location:  Connecticut

Interim Director of Information Technology – Location:  New Hampshire

Interim Director, Support Services & Facilities – Location:  New York

Interim Controller – Location:  Vermont

Interim Manager of Labor & Delivery – Location:  Massachusetts

Interim Manager of Medical Surgical Services – Location:  Massachusetts

Permanent Positions:

Perioperative Services Manager – Location:  New York

Executive Director of Physician Recruitment – Location:  Massachusetts

Director of Case Management – Location:  Massachusetts

Director of ICU – Location:  New Jersey

Director of Laboratory – Location:  Massachusetts

Director of OB/GYN – Location:  Massachusetts

Director of Perioperative Services – Location:  Vermont

Senior Project Manager, Quality Charge Capture – Location:  Massachusetts

Chief Philanthropy Officer – Location:  Massachusetts

Director of Physician Recruitment – Location:  Massachusetts

Perioperative Clinical Coordinator – Location:  Massachusetts

Manager of PACU – Location:  Massachusetts

Manager of CCU/Medical Overflow Unit – Location:  Massachusetts

Director of Perioperative Services – Location:  Massachusetts

Administrative Director of Perioperative Services – Location:  Rhode Island

Kicking off the New Year!

Leaders For Today will be attending the following event this month:

• MA-RI HFMA Revenue Cycle Conference

This is part 2 of 5. The article was originally written back in 2006. We’re reviving it now to show that interim trends haven’t changed much in the last five years.

The Trend Toward Hiring Interim Executives

Corvino’s and Kirk’s situations are not unique. Because of circumstances, such as illness and turnover, many healthcare organizations today find themselves facing unanticipated leadership vacancies. These are critical positions that encompass specialties ranging from nurse directors to senior vice presidents. With the healthcare managerial workforce aging and the market for healthcare managerial talent so competitive, experts believe that these challenges will continue.

Turnover in leadership positions at healthcare organizations is high. The American College of Healthcare Executives reported that the turnover rate among U.S. hospital CEOs was 14% in 2005, and this has been a continuing trend for over a decade.(1)

What’s more, organizational structures today are flatter and leaner than in the past, and the healthcare industry is experiencing a scarcity of experienced managerial talent. That combination means it’s harder than ever for organizations to quickly fill open positions at the director level and above, whether through internal talent or an external search.

Given these realities, healthcare organizations are increasingly turning to interim executives. These experienced leaders can manage a department or function during a period of transition while a permanent replacement is being recruited. In the U.S., the use of interim executives has been increasing steadily over the last decade.(2)

But in the healthcare industry in particular, the trend toward interim executives has accelerated in recent years.(3) A 2004 article in Modern Healthcare noted anecdotal reports that more healthcare organizations were hiring interim leaders. Contributing factors cited ranged from leaner management ranks to inadequate succession planning, as well as the challenges of recruiting for senior positions, such as chief nursing officer.(4)

At Leaders For Today, we’ve also observed the increased use of interim healthcare executives. Specializing in placing interim healthcare executives, our company has grown dramatically since its founding in 2002. That rapid growth is another indication of the need for experienced interim healthcare executives and the difficulty healthcare organizations face filling their senior-level positions quickly.

1 See “Hospital CEO Turnover 1981-2005,” American College of Healthcare Executives’ website, www.ache.org.
2 As far back as 1988, an article by Lynn Asinof titled “Rent-an-exec firms find demand soaring as corporate revamping continues ” was published in The Wall Street Journal Western Edition, on August 4, 1988. See also Dyan Machan, “Rent-an-exec.” Forbes 145 n.2 (Jan. 22, 1990): 132 (2).
3 Marilyn Moats Kennedy, “Should you use an executive temporary?” Physician Executive 22 n. 2 (Feb. 1996):35(2).
4 Melanie Evans, “For a limited time only: Left in the lurch, desperate hospitals are turning to interim healthcare managers to temporarily fill executive positions.” Modern Healthcare 34.42 (Oct. 18, 2004): 6

To be continued…

Click here to read this whitepaper on our website.

Jeff will suggest helpful job hunting strategies geared towards individuals applying for entry-level jobs in several industries. This is a excellent opportunity for students to hear from an expert with deep experience in the human resources field!

Jeff will touch on the following topics:

• How to build trust in a short time
• Networking-face to face and on simple online sites
• Meet-and-greet techniques that leave a lasting impression
• Live exercises with the audience around proper handshake, eye contact, and etiquette
• How to prepare your “elevator pitch” in 2 minutes or less
• How to distinguish yourself from your competition
• Common questions candidates get asked by interviewers
• Closing techniques to emphasize interest in getting the position, including follow-up strategies

The AACA, operating since 1967, provides all immigrants and economically disadvantaged people with education, occupational training, and social services, enabling their clients to realize lasting economic self-sufficiency.

The organization, whose motto is “Educate. Empower. Employ,“ has taken a leadership role in workforce development, delivering high-quality training that leads to promising careers. Their English classes prepare newcomers for higher education and employment, while their Mandarin immersion childcare center is the first of its kind in New England.

Leaders For Today engages frequently in good corporate citizenship by pouring back into the community through interaction with organizations such as the AACA.