Digital Leadership: Attributes of Modern Healthcare Leaders

Background Living in the current digital era requires widespread adoption of information technology in the modern healthcare industry. Objective The current research aimed to study key attributes and behaviors related to successful leaders' need to achieve the vision and ensure successful health IT adoption. Methods A Delphi technique with three rounds was employed and guided by structured questions. Part of the study was conducted online due to COVID-19 guidelines on distancing norms and lockdown in some areas. The answers of the participants were evaluated on a five-point Likert scale. Results The findings showed that similar leadership qualities are required in the healthcare sector as well as other sectors. For digital innovations in the rapidly changing healthcare space, leaders need to play a more proactive role, be visionary and dynamic, and should lead by example to take the organization to the next level. Conclusions Leaders need to come out of their comfort zone, understand the fast-evolving scenario where outstanding leadership qualities are essential to prove their mettle, outshine others, and create a strong foundation for the adoption of modern, efficient, customized digital technology in the fast-growing healthcare sector.