Lessons learned hiring HMO medical directors

A medical director has enormous influence on medical cost and quality in managed care organizations. Little empirical work has been done on the attributes of an effective HMO medical director. The survey discussed in this article sought to examine those desirable traits from the perspective of medical directors who have risen in the ranks to become employers of medical directors. Mailed questionnaires asked 30 experts to rate skills and personality qualities based on what they would look for in a prospective hire. The factors that emerged as significant were communication and interpersonal skills, clinical credibility, ego strength, concern about quality, motivation, data orientation, and leadership qualities, along with organizational/systemic variables. Implications for hiring and physician education are drawn.