Good medical leadership is the key to building high-quality healthcare

Medical leadership is becoming more important, perhaps because it's becoming more common. Physicians aren’t robots. They’re not just there to insensitively deliver prognoses or mechanically perform complex surgeries. They need heart. Patients respond better to a physician who is empathetic to their needs, so focus on exercising courtesy and compassion with your patients. 

Professionalism - Simply slipping on a white coat won’t command respect from your patients; it must be earned. As with all encounters, first impressions are paramount.   If you are inattentive, impatient, or unkempt, your patient will feel unsatisfied and neglected and will most likely seek the care of another physician.

Approachable, confident, decisive, compassionate and caring – being able to absorb people’s pain and anxieties without losing focus, treating patients as a human being rather than a symptom or collection of symptoms.  Their integrity is without questions.

Good doctors are good communicators - Good communication isn’t just for being friendly with patients. It’s also a vital skill for doctors to understand their patients’ concerns and explain a diagnosis. A doctor should give their patients the time they need and deserve. They should answer questions using language that is clear, without using too much medical terminology. They should be honest, but also offer hope, even when a situation is difficult. And they should help their patients feel empowered to improve their own health.

Optimism - As clinicians, we sometimes encounter patients on their worst days. But as healers, it's our job to help them through it. Doing so requires a certain amount of bright-siding. We've all seen the placebo effect and the impact of a positive mental outlook and the effects of mental toughness as caregivers cheerlead patients through their treatment. 

Passion - Promising medical school applicants don’t want to become physicians because of the salary. They apply because they have a passion for the study and practice of medicine. Their passion makes them disciplined and willing to sacrifice other opportunities to better their careers. If you are dedicated to improving the lives of others and can spend long nights hovering over patient charts, then you’ve applied to the right profession.