Becker's recently connected with HR and talent executives to learn how their health systems are strengthening leadership pipelines.
When asked which leadership roles they expect to focus hiring efforts on in the coming years, these C-suite titles emerged.
1. Chief information officers and cybersecurity executives: Terri Feely, chief people officer at Falls Church, Va.-based Inova Health, expects this role to be in high demand as technologies — and the risks associated with them — continue to evolve. Inova is already preparing to bolster this executive seat by ramping up its specialized sourcing team and adding development opportunities for current IT and technology employees.
2. Data analytics and business intelligence executives: Mamoon Syed, chief people officer at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, predicts an increased demand for data insights: one that's related to healthcare IT leaders' work, but "very distinct" from their specialties. The industry is already widening its focus on clinical data integration, using analyses to improve health outcomes. But Mr. Syed believes a leader with a business intelligence background can take data analysis one step further, integrating an organization's clinical and business sides to strategically guide decision-making.
3. Dual C-suite roles: Jyoti Rai, senior vice president and chief talent officer at New York City-based NewYork-Presbyterian, agreed that "blended skills" will be vital for future executives. The health system is already building school partnerships and strengthening its internal career pathways to encourage both clinical and digital competencies, simultaneously.
4. Chief population health officers: Mr. Syed also anticipates that population health is "going to become a national focus" in the coming years, and that hiring executives to handle these specific initiatives will be "critical."
5. Chief clinical officers, chief nursing officers, service line executives: Manda Scott, chief human resources officer at Kittitas Valley Healthcare in Ellensburg, Wash., said that hiring in clinical leadership roles is a continuous challenge. Amid shortages in nursing, rehabilitation services and imaging — and the corresponding competition for those workers — it can be difficult to identify and encourage potential leaders.
Kittitas Valley Healthcare is working to "inspire those folks to take on leadership roles and have them see that as a rewarding opportunity, because it can feel like a sacrifice to some people when there's so much flexibility, creative compensation systems, sign-on bonuses out there," Ms. Scott said. "How do we make leadership feel attractive to people to grow and be a part of solutions to help our healthcare systems through those challenges?"