The future of healthcare demands leaders with a unique skillset: New report

Leadership & Management: A new report offers critical insights into the evolving landscape of healthcare delivery and the pivotal role of leaders in shaping its future.

The Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators (RACMA) has announced the release of the Medical Leaders for Current and Future Health Care report, researched and authored by the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University. The research team included Dr Samantha Spanos, Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite, Elle Leask, and Romika Patel

Helen Parsons CSC, RACMA President, said “This key piece of research provides great insight into how healthcare and services will be provided in the future. It identifies trends influencing Australia’s healthcare system and their effect on care and services and explores the implications of future health systems for Medical Leaders, including the attributes and characteristics required for future care and services.”

She added, “It is critical all health care systems and medical professionals across Australasia are supported by the highest standard of qualified medical leaders to enhance the health outcomes of patients, healthcare services, and the communities they serve.”

Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite, Founding Director, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, stated “The report investigates and illustrates the crucial role that medical leaders play in health care, and the growing breadth of their work and influence across health systems. It demonstrates that as healthcare delivery becomes more complex, there will be an increasing need for medical leaders’ expertise, which has implications for their existing scope of practice and education.”

Through synthesising over 200 literature sources and the perspectives of 150 medical leaders across the country, the report describes key health system trends that both challenge and empower change and identifies action areas and strategies for medical leaders to pioneer in driving health system improvement.

Health systems will need to prioritise sustainability, adopt genomics technologies into routine care, cope with changing demographics and disease profiles, carefully assess and implement artificial intelligence and create new models of care that are adaptable to current and future pressures. Meeting the demands of these trends requires integrated, value-based, patient-centred care that is driven by data and sound policies and standards. Systems must be designed with the principles of equity and diversity, a greater focus on prevention and accessibility, and a fit-for-purpose workforce that is well-nurtured and supported to actualise system changes. 

Professor Braithwaite commented “The future of healthcare demands medical leaders with a unique skillset. They must be innovation champions, leveraging digital health and artificial intelligence to improve care, understanding system complexity and the need for adaptation. They must promote resilience through embracing uncertainty, learning from successes, and bolstering communication, trust, and interpersonal relations. They must lead collaboratively, foster multidisciplinary teamwork, and build capacity in emerging leaders to drive sustainable quality improvement.

“Finally, medical leaders must advocate for marginalised groups and engage with communities to enable care and services that are equitable and person-centred. These combined skills and knowledge will empower medical leaders to navigate the complexities of modern healthcare and shape a healthier future.”

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