Health system chief quality executives are being asked to do more with less, according to a Vizient report about the role’s future.
As CQEs transform from compliance stewards to strategic leaders, the role increasingly “sits at the intersection of clinical outcomes, operational reliability and strategic transformation,” making their problems more complex and decisions more critical, the report said.
Vizient surveyed 137 chief quality executives, including 30 system-level executives, and asked each to rank 10 foundational pillars of CQE leadership. Of those 10, three rose to the top:
1. Strategic and visionary leadership: Twenty-one of 30 system-level CQEs (70%) named this pillar as the most important leadership competency in their field. Strategic missteps in quality can negatively affect patient safety, operations and financial viability, making this pillar critical.
2. Emotional intelligence and relational leadership: Thirty percent of leaders ranked this competency as second-most important. One daily task of a CQE is to influence change without direct authority, the report said. During a crisis, such as equitable care gaps, a quality executive must lead up, down and across silos.
3. Systems thinking, agility and implementation science: One in four surveyed CQEs ranked this pillar third. Other C-suite leaders might use systems thinking to improve business performance, the report said, but CQEs apply this thinking to more aspects, including outcomes, regulatory standing and system reputation.
These three pillars are not unique to the CQE role, but they are vital to its future, according to the report.
“A key finding is that system quality structures with centralized goal setting — combined with decentralized accountability featuring horizontally integrated functions such as safety, analytics, infection prevention and ambulatory care — foster better agility, shared accountability and alignment with enterprise priorities,” the report said.
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