Shikha Jain, MD, FACP, serves as Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Oncology & Cell Therapy and Physician Director of Media Relations at Rush University Cancer Center.
On May 25th, Dr. Jain will serve on the panel "Diversity in the C-Suite: Healthcare Leaders Accelerating Change Through Executive Development" at Becker's Hospital Review 11th Annual Meeting. As part of an ongoing series, Becker's is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference, which will take place on April 6-9, 2020 in Chicago.
To learn more about the conference and Dr. Jain's session, click here.
Question: What's one lesson you learned early in your career that has helped you lead in healthcare?
Shikha Jain: I learned very early on that the best leaders are those who look inward, are constantly working to improve on themselves, and those who listen and value their team. Finding a balance of humility and confidence can be a challenge, especially when you are not the most senior person in the room. But knowing when to ask for help, and when to stand your ground is important. The best leaders are those who listen to their team, and realize innovative ideas can come from individuals at any level. Everyone comes from a different perspective and different lived experiences can lead to diverse and creative ideas.
Q: Where do you go for inspiration and fresh ideas?
SJ: I have found that those who are the most different from me often give me ideas that I never would have thought of. I try and find people at different levels of seniority, some above and some below where I am, individuals of different backgrounds, different fields and areas of expertise. I also try to go to people who know me very well, and others who don't know me at all. By doing this, I am able to get a wide variety of differing perspectives and oftentimes come away with incredibly creative and innovative ideas.
Q: What do you see as the most exciting opportunity in healthcare right now?
SJ: More and more physicians are taking on roles within healthcare systems, and I strongly believe this will move the entire system in a positive direction. It is essential to have those who understand the system from the inside, and the challenges physicians face on a daily basis involved in a significant way in order to make changes that are effective and impactful. There are more physicians moving into leadership roles and I see this as an exciting opportunity to move healthcare forward.
Where do you go for inspiration and fresh ideas? Beckers, of course! In all seriousness, the conference speakers are the best in the industry and the sessions are relevant to leaders in hospitals both large and small. And I don't have to look any further than my inbox daily for the most recent healthcare news and best practices.
What do you see as the most exciting opportunity in healthcare right now? The most exciting opportunity in healthcare today is the move to value-driven care with the patient at the center focusing on wellness and prevention instead of treating signs and symptoms with volume-driven sick visits and hospitalizations. Accountable care, the merit-based incentive payment system (MIPS) and value-based payment programs are driving providers from volume to value-based care with incentives to reward both the physician and the patient!
Healthcare has had calls for disruption, innovation and transformation for years now. Do you feel we are seeing that change? Why or why not? Yes, hospitals that are driving change and transformation are receiving high marks in quality and patient-satisfaction. They are investing in technology to coordinate care and making access easier for their patients. At the same time, they are educating and preparing their workforce to be responsive to innovative change. The age of volume-driven fee-for-service medicine is gradually giving way to value-based care. Hospitals must transform to become organizations that reward value instead of volume and develop delivery methods that use evidence-based practices, procedures and technologies to attain optimal outcomes and achieve greater efficiencies. Many primary care providers have heard the call for value and are joining ACO's and working to meet this demand. Sadly hospitals that haven’t transformed to ensure the highest quality patient-centered care and the most competitive prices are being bypassed by the primary care physicians, the patients and the payers. "