For decades, physicians have watched autonomy erode as the great migration to health systems continues.
But Matt Mazurek, MD, assistant clinical professor of anesthesiology at St. Raphael’s Campus of Yale New Haven (Conn.) Hospital told Becker’s, sees a reversal on the horizon. He joined Becker’s to discuss how the shift will not driven not by policy, but by a generation of physicians who grew up digital.
Editor’s note: This interview was edited lightly for clarity and length. Opinions expressed by Dr. Mazurek are his own.
Question: Do you see any structural forces on the horizon that could reverse the dynamic of physicians being cogs in the corporate wheel? Or is the trajectory still heading in the same direction?
Data and knowledge are king. Whoever owns that data will be in the driver’s seat. The unfortunate reality is that a lot of quality and outcome metrics are not currently determined by physicians. But I think there’s going to be a pushback at some point where physicians say: we’re the ones driving the patient experience, and we’re the ones driving quality outcomes.
My optimism is this — the younger generation is extremely savvy with AI. They grew up with the internet and they’re being raised in this new AI environment. They’re smart, and they’re going to take advantage of it. I think that’s going to lead them to say: we’re not cogs in the wheel, we’re not employees — we’re the ones who can interpret the data, use AI to make better decisions, and still bring something to the bedside that AI doesn’t have, which is experience. Data-driven decision-making combined with clinical experience still matters. Otherwise, doctors would be irrelevant.
Q: What would you say is the most realistic path for physicians to reclaim leverage? And what are they getting wrong in pursuing it?
MM: Here’s where we’re really at a crossroads. The older generation — myself included, 55 and up — we’re not going back to get MBAs and MHAs to become physician leaders. Most of us were in private practice, we ran small businesses, we’ve seen the whole evolution.
The younger generation needs to see the value in formal leadership education. Physicians can no longer afford to not understand the economics of healthcare — how insurance works, how data works, how operations and management efficiency work. These are now important drivers in both payment models and care delivery models, especially as resources start to dry up, because the current healthcare spend is simply not sustainable.
My generation needs to recognize that the game has changed, and that getting an MBA or MHA, joining organizations like the American Association for Physician Leadership or the American College of Healthcare Executives — not just the AMA and specialty societies — gives students and young physicians a 50,000-foot view that’s going to be really important. If you don’t know the chessboard you’re playing on, it’s pretty tough to play chess.
That said, not all younger physicians are purely lifestyle-focused. There are still enough entrepreneurs and those driven by wanting to make a difference beyond clinical care. I’m optimistic they’re going to come to the table — but they also need mentors. That’s where I’m having some fun, getting to teach students about the broader issues in healthcare, drawing on my experience in private practice, as a shareholder, in leadership positions, and in national organizations. There are a lot of physicians like me who have bounced between different types of roles and can offer that real-world perspective.
Q: Are you seeing younger physicians or residents actually seeking out leadership involvement?
MM: There’s a great deal of interest, but during medical school and residency they’re so consumed with learning clinical medicine that leadership education becomes just another add-on. I think medical schools and residency programs have a duty to start incorporating a longitudinal curriculum on leadership, quality, communication, professionalism, and finance — delivered in small modules so there’s at least a foundational understanding. From there, students with deeper interest can pursue an MBA, MHA, or other formal degree — some are even doing it during residency, though that’s tough.
I’m actually writing a book chapter right now on the future of medical student leadership education. I’ve gone through around 75 to 80 references on the topic. The honest conclusion is that it’s very haphazard. Everyone recognizes the need, but another key issue is that you also need faculty within medical schools who actually understand business. You can’t have the blind leading the blind.
Opinions expressed by Dr. Mazurek are his own.
At the Becker's 23rd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference, taking place June 11-13 in Chicago, spine surgeons, orthopedic leaders and ASC executives will come together to explore minimally invasive techniques, ASC growth strategies and innovations shaping the future of outpatient spine care. Apply for complimentary registration now.
