BMJ LeaderPub Date : 2025-09-25DOI: 10.1136/leader-2024-001115
Shuyuan Cheng, Fengying He, Xiaoxin Su, Yanxin Liu, Mingyen Cheung, Alastair P Mah
{"title":"Impact of competency training on medical administrators: an evaluation of medical management and leadership development programme.","authors":"Shuyuan Cheng, Fengying He, Xiaoxin Su, Yanxin Liu, Mingyen Cheung, Alastair P Mah","doi":"10.1136/leader-2024-001115","DOIUrl":"10.1136/leader-2024-001115","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>China's healthcare sector is facing unprecedented challenges, placing substantial requirements on the competencies of medical administrators. Training programmes play a crucial role in enhancing the competencies of medical administrators to deliver high-quality healthcare services. This study aims to investigate the outcome of training on the competency of medical administrators and to use the findings to guide the development of future training content.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Medical Management and Leadership Development Programme, grounded in the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators competency model, was implemented as a three-phase training programme for medical administrators at United Family Healthcare to assess the impact of training on their competency.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study's results revealed significant differences in participants' competencies across various domains between the pretest and post-test phases of the training programmes. These findings highlight parts where the training was effective and areas that may require further development to enhance overall competency.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results indicate a positive impact of competency training on enhancing the skills of medical administrators. Additionally, the study offers valuable insights for optimising future training content.</p>","PeriodicalId":36677,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Leader","volume":" ","pages":"281-285"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142819630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BMJ LeaderPub Date : 2025-09-25DOI: 10.1136/leader-2023-000920
Buddhika S W Samarasinghe, Ross Millar, Mark Exworthy
{"title":"Bridging the divide? Why the integration of standardisation and individualisation of care remains paramount during turbulent times.","authors":"Buddhika S W Samarasinghe, Ross Millar, Mark Exworthy","doi":"10.1136/leader-2023-000920","DOIUrl":"10.1136/leader-2023-000920","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36677,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Leader","volume":" ","pages":"292-294"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142509730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BMJ LeaderPub Date : 2025-09-25DOI: 10.1136/leader-2024-001052
Derek K Tracy, Christopher Hilton
{"title":"Productivity in mental health services. Why does it matter and what do we measure?","authors":"Derek K Tracy, Christopher Hilton","doi":"10.1136/leader-2024-001052","DOIUrl":"10.1136/leader-2024-001052","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36677,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Leader","volume":" ","pages":"286-291"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142406999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BMJ LeaderPub Date : 2025-09-25DOI: 10.1136/leader-2024-001051
Sarah Gregor, Alannah Delaine Mulholland, Ryan Brydges, Beverly Bulmer, Emilia Kangasjarvi, Betty Onyura, Susan Lieff, Stella Ng
{"title":"Distinct journeys and unique stories: how individuals from multiple professions cultivate careers in healthcare leadership.","authors":"Sarah Gregor, Alannah Delaine Mulholland, Ryan Brydges, Beverly Bulmer, Emilia Kangasjarvi, Betty Onyura, Susan Lieff, Stella Ng","doi":"10.1136/leader-2024-001051","DOIUrl":"10.1136/leader-2024-001051","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Strong hospital leadership is critical to navigating the challenges of the Canadian healthcare system. Currently, physicians and nurses tend to be selected to fulfil hospital executive roles. To date, we found only limited research exploring who else <i>could</i> or should be in these roles, or how more diverse groups of professionals navigate the journey into these roles. We sought to interview leaders from multiple professional backgrounds to understand how their career journey led them to their executive role.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We purposively sampled Canadian hospital executives with diverse professional and educational backgrounds. Through semistructured interviews, we explored their individual leadership journeys, and their experiences working with others along the way. Our team worked together to analyse data using a phenomenographic approach.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fourteen executive-level leaders from diverse professional backgrounds were interviewed. Overall, we noted three main trajectories for people to become hospital leaders: the achievement journey, the unexpected journey and the practical journey. These journeys corresponded to three main identities the champion leader, the discovered leader and the pragmatic leader, respectively. We found that some individuals had multiple trajectories and identities.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Improved diversity in executive hospital leadership may support transformational change in healthcare; however, this promise may not be automatically realised. Critical reflection on current hiring processes, career development and mentorship is warranted to support those with diverse and distinct backgrounds to enter and thrive in these roles.</p>","PeriodicalId":36677,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Leader","volume":" ","pages":"275-280"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142792577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BMJ LeaderPub Date : 2025-09-25DOI: 10.1136/leader-2024-001074
Savithiri Ratnapalan, Daniel Lang, Katharine Janzen, Linda Muzzin
{"title":"Role of emotions in change and change management in an emergency department: a qualitative study.","authors":"Savithiri Ratnapalan, Daniel Lang, Katharine Janzen, Linda Muzzin","doi":"10.1136/leader-2024-001074","DOIUrl":"10.1136/leader-2024-001074","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Changes in emergency departments are frequently implemented to improve efficiency and reduce costs. However, staff acceptance and adoption are crucial for the intended success of changes.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study explored staff perceptions of factors influencing the implementation of changes and any common themes linking changes and factors influencing changes in an emergency department at a university teaching hospital in the UK.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used constructivist grounded theory methodology to perform a secondary analysis of 41 interview transcripts of physicians, nurses, support workers and managers involved in paediatric emergency care.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants identified leadership, communication and education as factors impacting change management. They described many emotions associated with changes and with communication, leadership and education or the lack of any of them during changes. Both positive and negative emotions sometimes coexisted at individual, team or organisational levels. Negative emotions were due to real-life challenges and concern over compromised patient care. Professional values dictated the actions or inactions that transpired either because of these emotions or despite these emotions in health professionals.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Emotions to change should be acknowledged and addressed by credible leadership clear communication and education to improve the change process, its success and ultimately, patient care.</p>","PeriodicalId":36677,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Leader","volume":" ","pages":"247-255"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141876231","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BMJ LeaderPub Date : 2025-09-25DOI: 10.1136/leader-2024-001062
Claudia Juliette Jansen van Vuuren, Sharlini Sathananthan, Dina Hamalis, James Fenwick, Martin Patrick Griffiths, Ankur Thapar, Shiva Dindyal
{"title":"Leadership knowledge and behaviours: outcomes of a full-day leadership workshop focusing on personal growth in foundation doctors.","authors":"Claudia Juliette Jansen van Vuuren, Sharlini Sathananthan, Dina Hamalis, James Fenwick, Martin Patrick Griffiths, Ankur Thapar, Shiva Dindyal","doi":"10.1136/leader-2024-001062","DOIUrl":"10.1136/leader-2024-001062","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Effective clinical leadership is required at every level, including in Foundation doctors. Most leadership programmes neglect self-awareness and personal growth aspects of leadership training. We modified the Basildon Leadership Hub to focus on these aspects and evaluated the new programme.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Large group sessions were led by speakers with varied leadership roles, interspersed by breakout sessions incorporating experiential and reflective learning. Attendees answered anonymous surveys before, immediately after, and 2 months after the workshop, with 5-point Likert-scale responses (1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree) designed around reaction, knowledge and behaviour levels of evaluation. We assessed differences in median responses using the Mann-Whitney U test with Bonferroni-Holm correction.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The full-day workshop was attended by 27 trainees, 93% of whom considered it enjoyable and relevant. Attendees agreed more strongly to the statements 'I am a leader' and 'I know how I can demonstrate and develop my own leadership knowledge, skills and behaviours' in postcourse versus precourse surveys (p<0.001). The follow-up survey had a poor response rate of 26% with non-significant differences.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A full-day leadership workshop for Foundation doctors focusing on personal growth resulted in improvement in self-assessed precourse and postcourse knowledge and attitudes; however, poor follow-up response rate limited demonstration of sustained outcomes or changes in behaviour.</p>","PeriodicalId":36677,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Leader","volume":" ","pages":"322-324"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144037074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Innovative management strategies for addressing paediatric medical staff shortages in underdeveloped cities in developing countries.","authors":"Xingxue Yan, Jinshi Yu, Peng Zhang, Jinrui Zhang, Shuying Luo, Yingying Yu","doi":"10.1136/leader-2023-000894","DOIUrl":"10.1136/leader-2023-000894","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Paediatric professional scarcity and uneven distribution is acute in underdeveloped regions, exacerbated by COVID-19's workload surge and burnout, highlighting the need for strengthened prevention and response measures.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>Propose an effective talent management model to address the challenge of paediatric medical personnel shortage and lack of management experience in Underdeveloped cities of developing countries.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A crisis management plan has been implemented in a paediatric hospital in Henan, China, with a talent framework to ensure a skilled, stable workforce.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>An advanced talent management system is vital to address paediatric talent scarcity. Leveraging the national Children's Regional Medical Center, fostering international cooperation, sharing knowledge and harnessing regional policies are key to effective paediatric talent management through leveraging, promotion, and driving initiatives.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Efficient talent management methods have a significant positive impact on addressing the paediatric talent crisis, enabling departments and institutions to effectively manage medical talent through scientific strategies, ultimately contributing to the alleviation of medical resource deficiencies.</p>","PeriodicalId":36677,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Leader","volume":" ","pages":"256-260"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142509740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BMJ LeaderPub Date : 2025-09-25DOI: 10.1136/leader-2024-001044
Robert Anthony Keenan
{"title":"Roadmap for the transition to robotic radial cystectomy for patients with bladder cancer in a tertiary urology unit: planning for change.","authors":"Robert Anthony Keenan","doi":"10.1136/leader-2024-001044","DOIUrl":"10.1136/leader-2024-001044","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Radical cystectomy has the potential to be a curative strategy for patients with aggressive bladder cancer. Emerging evidence over the last 20 years has shown that minimally invasive surgical approaches using robotics in performing this highly complex and morbid operation can achieve the same oncological outcomes while reducing complications for the patient.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This paper aims to present a managerial and leadership roadmap for change to robotic cystectomy for patients with advanced bladder cancer to achieve improved patient outcomes while embracing technological developments in the delivery of cancer care.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using the Irish Health Service Executive guide for change, we propose and detail a three-stage plan (define, design and deliver) to guide the organisation from the concept of the transition to performing the first operative case.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A walkthrough from identifying a vision for change for robotic cystectomy to designing a step-by-step process is discussed. By providing a template for success, this approach can be applied to any health jurisdiction worldwide and can be adapted as needed.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Although challenging, major change within the healthcare setting through a structured approach provides a valuable opportunity for a department to grow, develop and become a champion of patient care.</p>","PeriodicalId":36677,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Leader","volume":" ","pages":"314-317"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143030021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BMJ LeaderPub Date : 2025-09-25DOI: 10.1136/leader-2024-001020
Nithya Arigapudi
{"title":"Quiet effect of lacking leadership in healthcare education.","authors":"Nithya Arigapudi","doi":"10.1136/leader-2024-001020","DOIUrl":"10.1136/leader-2024-001020","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In the landscape of Indian healthcare, the role of leadership in addressing disparities and driving change is often overlooked, particularly within medical education. Through the lens of the author journeying from a volunteer to ultimately a leader of a student-led non-profit organisation, this article explores the reason, rhyme and possible resolutions to the quiet effect of lacking leadership in healthcare education.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Drawing from personal experience and reflections, the article highlights the profound impact of grassroots initiatives in reaching underserved populations and how inadequate leadership hindered their ability to scale effectively. Insights into the challenges encountered and the barriers that needed to be overcome have been elaborated to unravel the possible origins of this problem and address potential solutions throughout various levels of health education.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Although there is rarely a simple solution to a complex challenge, building adequate mentorship and support can help sustain leadership efforts in leadership by providing a pillar to lean on without diminishing individualised effort for growth. Cultivating collaborative networks can further provide opportunities to kindle the flame of leadership among young doctors.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>By fostering a culture of leadership, medical education can produce professionals who are skilled clinicians and innovative leaders capable of driving change in the community.</p>","PeriodicalId":36677,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Leader","volume":" ","pages":"209-210"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142819631","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}