July 27, 2016

PHILADELPHIA, PA: Deloitte Consulting LLP* and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania have launched the Physician Leadership Academy, a new educational program designed for physician leaders who aspire to improve and shape our evolving health care marketplace. The impact of the Affordable Care Act and related legislation is driving a shift from traditional fee-for-service based models toward a new era that is more collaborative and outcome-based. To navigate this shift, physician leaders will require new skills, bolder decision-making and “next-level” business strategies.

“Competition is shifting from rate and volume to outcomes and quality,” said Dr. Ken Abrams, chief physician executive and managing director in the life sciences and health care practice at Deloitte Consulting LLP. “Many of the people successfully leading health care delivery systems to produce high quality care for patients are clinical people — physicians and nurses.”

The Academy represents the first time a leading professional services organization and a top-ranked business school have created a joint program linking academic learning to real-world application for physician leaders. The program is designed to equip physicians with the skills required to successfully lead in multiple domains, a deep understanding of the forces impacting and changing the dynamics of health care landscape, and insights into their own leadership styles.

The Physician Leadership Academy includes three in-person modules at Wharton Executive Education in Philadelphia and Deloitte University in Dallas starting October 2016 and ending June 2017. Each module builds upon the themes of individual, organizational and systemic leadership and explores the following topics:

  • Module 1: “Leading in the New World of Health Care” will help participants define their purpose as an enterprise leader and implement a dynamic business strategy.
  • Module 2: “Building Momentum for Change” covers leading teams and organizations through change.
  • Module 3: “Reimagining the Future of Health Care” will give participants new perspectives about next-level strategies and put their new knowledge to use to solve critical business challenges.

Participants will also complete a comprehensive pre-course leadership assessment and work continuously with experienced leadership coaches, with the goal of gaining a deep insight into their individual leadership styles. Additionally they can benefit from valuable peer-to-peer mentoring with other members of their academy cohort. Unlike more traditional academic programs in physician management, the Physician Leadership Academy will focus less on business fundamentals and more on application of leadership skills.

Guy David (PhD) is Wharton’s academic director of the program and an associate professor in the department of health care management. Jen Radin (MPH, MBA), principal and national leader of the health care provider human capital practice, Deloitte Consulting LLP, is the Deloitte lead program sponsor for Physician Leadership Academy. The program is also supported by other industry leaders in Deloitte Consulting LLP, including Dr. Ken Abrams (MD, MBA); Dr. Andrew Wiesenthal(MD, MBA), managing director, Deloitte Consulting LLP; and John Keith(MBA), principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP; who are working closely with Wharton faculty to design this groundbreaking program.

The Physician Leadership Academy offers a curriculum that is targeted to practicing physicians who have taken on increasing levels of responsibility in their careers and aspire to be enterprise-wide leaders, as well as current senior-level health care executives looking to broaden their perspective and influence. In addition to leaders within traditional health care providers such as hospitals and insurance companies, the program is also targeting rising executives with a medical degree who work in the fields of life sciences, medical devices and governmental oversight of health care.

The Physician Leadership Academy will begin its first on-campus session Oct. 20–23, 2016. To enroll, or for more information, please visit Physician Leadership Academy or contact Wharton Executive Education at +1.215.898.1776 or execed@wharton.upenn.edu.

About Deloitte Consulting LLP

Deloitte helps organizations grow their businesses and enhance value by identifying actionable insights. More than 23,000 professionals provide a broad range of capabilities across human capital, strategy and operations, innovation and technology that are aligned to the particular needs of specific sectors, businesses and organizations. Deloitte provides clients with leading business insights that can help generate a tangible and measurable impact.

*As used in this document, “Deloitte” means Deloitte Consulting LLP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting.

About the Wharton School

Founded in 1881 as the world’s first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With a faculty of more than 235 renowned professors, Wharton has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year 13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education’s individual, company-customized, and online programs, and thousands of pre-collegiate students explore business concepts through Wharton’s Global Youth Program. More than 105,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. For more information, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.

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