A successful emergency department requires leadership that is clinically and administratively prepared. It is assumed that chosen departmental leaders have significant clinical experience that position them to maximize emergency department resources and to interface effectively with other clinical services. Unfortunately, clinicians are often not prepared to meet administrative responsibilities required to be effective. Physician, nurse, and administrative leadership development is at the heart of quality improvements in emergency medicine.
There are many critical skills required of a department leader, the most basic of which include human resource assessments, budget development, data acquisition and analysis, report preparation and presentation, conflict resolution, and contract negotiations. Proficiency in communication and professionalism is fundamental.
American Health guides this interdisciplinary leadership development in which emergency development teams will be provided the opportunity to observe and develop highly successful leadership styles and participate in leadership education, both formally and in practice at their own institutions.
