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
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