Journal of Healthcare Management - September/October 2014 - (Page 367)

Career Inflection Points of Women Who Successfully Achieved the Hospital CEO Position Donald W. Sexton, FACHE, doctoral candidate, Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and instructor, Army-Baylor University Graduate Program in Health and Business Administration, Waco, Texas; Christy Harris Lemak, PhD, FACHE, professor and chair, Department of Health Services Administration, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and chief academic officer, National Center for Healthcare Leadership, Chicago, Illinois; and Joyce Anne Wainio, vice president, National Center for Healthcare Leadership E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y Women are significantly underrepresented in hospital CEO positions, and this gender disparity has changed little over the past few decades. The purpose of this study was to analyze the career trajectories of successful female healthcare executives to determine factors that generated inflections in their careers. Using qualitative research methodology, we studied the career trajectories of 20 women who successfully ascended into a hospital CEO position. Our findings revealed 25 inflection points related to education and training, experience, career management, family, networking, and mentorship and sponsorship. We found substantial differences in the career inflection points by functional background. Inflections were more pronounced early in the careers of women in healthcare management, while clinical and administrative support executives experienced more inflections later as they took on responsibilities outside of their professional roles. Only two inflections were common among all the executives: completing a graduate degree and obtaining experience as a chief operating officer. More importantly, our findings show that organizational support factors are critical for the career advancement of women. We conclude with recommendations for individuals in an effort to enhance their career trajectories. We also provide recommended activities for organizations to support the careers of women in healthcare leadership. For more information about the concepts in this article, contact Mr. Sexton at dwsexton@umich.edu. 367

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Journal of Healthcare Management - September/October 2014

Journal of Healthcare Management - September/October 2014
Interview With Delvecchio S. Finley, FACHE, CEO of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Hospital Consolidation: “Safety in Numbers” Strategy Prevails in Preparation for a Value- Based Marketplace
Leveraging Women’s Leadership Talent in Healthcare
Pressure and Performance: Buffering Capacity and the Cyclical Impact of Accreditation Inspections on Risk-Adjusted Mortality
Development and Field Testing of a Self- Assessment Guide for Computer-Based Provider Order Entry
Good to Great: Using 360-Degree Feedback to Improve Physician Emotional Intelligence
Career Inflection Points of Women Who Successfully Achieved the Hospital CEO Position

Journal of Healthcare Management - September/October 2014