Matrix mentorship in academic medicine: Sustainability of competitive advantage

Abstract

The healthcare system is undergoing rapid change as medical centers are confronted with constricted reimbursements for healthcare services while adapting to growth in medical knowledge, major technological advances in medical practice, and a changing regulatory environment. Academic medical centers thought themselves immune to the forces that shape most service enterprises but are forced to compete based on customer service and the efficiency, quality, and safety of medical care, while continuing to compete in the academic world. These challenges are not unique to academic medicine, but these institutions are, perhaps, least suited to the leadership challenges posed by this environment. Certain attributes of these centers raise barriers to successful adaptation to the changing healthcare environment. The need for systemic change in academic medicine requires commitment to programs that create change agents willing to assume leadership roles and to guide institutional evolution. In academic medicine, traditional one-on-one relationships between mentors and trainees do not provide the breadth of guidance needed in the complex environment of research, medical practice, and teaching. A structured system of “matrix mentorship” and structured evaluation will advance institutional values, provide leaders with an essential set of skills and values consistent with institutional goals, and provide competitive advantage for medical centers in academic healthcare.

Citation

Fishman, J.A. (2009), "Matrix mentorship in academic medicine: Sustainability of competitive advantage", Savage, G.T. and Fottler, M.D. (Ed.) Biennial Review of Health Care Management: Meso Perspective (Advances in Health Care Management, Vol. 8), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 155-170. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1474-8231(2009)0000008010