AHA, AMA offer new guiding principles on integrated leadership

The AHA and American Medical Association today released new guidance on best practices for reimagining traditional relationships between physicians and hospital executives. The six principles, the result of more than two years of work between the associations, provide a framework for physicians and hospitals that choose to create an integrated leadership structure but are unsure how to best achieve the engagement and alignment necessary to collaboratively prioritize patient care and resource management. “The changing landscape of health care requires hospitals and physicians to become true partners, providing the best care for their patients,” said Jonathan Perlin, M.D., chairman of the AHA Board of Trustees and president of clinical services and chief medical officer at HCA. “Care coordination is critical as health care continues to evolve, all leading to better outcomes for patients and providers alike. As health care is fundamentally a team-based activity, we believe that organizational collaboration models the increasing necessity for inter-professional collaboration.”