He recommended rewarding appropriately trained physicians with competitive pay and the freedom and authority to improve hospital business. “I think the systems that will do well are the ones that are able to engage highly competent physician executives, recognize that value and employ them to make the machine work better,” Dr. Summerside said. “I would postulate that many healthcare systems struggle because they don’t appreciate this.”
Dr. Summerside, whose background is in emergency medicine, also serves as director of wellness at BayCare Sports Medicine and as chairman of medical education at the University of Wisconsin affiliated medical school program in Green Bay. He received his medical degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine and completed his residency in emergency medicine at the University of Illinois. He also received a master’s of medical management from the University of Southern Carolina and is a fellow of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine.
Dr. Summerside is an active member of the American College of Physician Executives and sits on the BayCare Clinic Board and Executive Committee. While he recognizes the challenges currently facing healthcare executives, he still feels excited about providing quality care.
“I say, ‘if you get up every morning and look in the mirror and you can ask yourself why should any patient come to see me instead of somebody else, if you’ve got an answer for that, you’re going to do great with our group.’,” he said in Becker’s.
