A study published in the August 2011 issue of US Journal of Social Science and Medicine by Amanda Goodall, found a strong correlation between high-performing hospitals and leadership by physicians. Physician-led hospitals had quality scores some 25% higher then non-physician led hospitals.
Goodall took the top 100 hospitals three specialties – cancer, GI disorders and cardiac care– as ranked by the respected US News and World Report in 2009. She then reviewed the backgrounds of their chief executives. Of the top 100 cancer hospitals, 51 had chief executives who were qualified doctors; of the top 100 hospitals for GI disorders, 34 had medical chief executives; of the top 100 cardiovascular hospitals, it was 37.
The remarkable thing about these figures is that, according to other research, there are some 6,500 hospitals in the US and only 235 were led by physicians.

 

Source : Voxeu.org