| Introduction | | | | the changes required to respond to dynamic |
| | | | marketplace conditions. In academia, the |
| Over the past several months, members of | | | | president requires input from faculty |
| Phillips & Associates have remarked on a | | | | members. With decisions made by committee, |
| growing trend: mid- to senior-level managers | | | | change can come slowly. In these dynamic |
| and administrators are successfully making | | | | industries, however, it is imperative that |
| the transition between the health care and | | | | organizations move quickly to mitigate risk. |
| higher education industries when seeking new | | | | In addition, the administrators of higher |
| career opportunities. | | | | education and health care facilities must |
| | | | deal with a unique group of service |
| We were curious about this phenomenon and | | | | providers, physicians and professors, who are |
| decided to investigate further. We spoke with | | | | often independent, entrepreneurial, and |
| leaders who had moved between the two | | | | somewhat autonomous. |
| industries about their reasons for making the | | | | |
| switch. We also talked with folks about the | | | | The types of roles in which people have made |
| similarities and differences between the two | | | | successful transitions from one industry to |
| industries. | | | | the other are varied, including support |
| | | | services, development, information systems, |
| We want to share with our clients the | | | | facilities and finance. Having worked in both |
| insights we are witnessing in the | | | | industries, Cheryl Hoffman, former Chief |
| marketplace. We believe that this information | | | | Financial Officer at Beth Israel Deaconess |
| will change some of the ways you look at | | | | Medical Center and now Finance Dean/Chief |
| recruiting, as well as the way you look at | | | | Financial Officer of the Faculty of Arts & |
| future career opportunities. | | | | Sciences at Harvard University, provides this |
| | | | view: "The leadership structure within the |
| Health Care And Higher Ed: What Similarities | | | | departments is very similar between the two |
| Do They Share? | | | | industries. For example, the departments on |
| | | | the medical side are often divided along |
| The health care and higher education | | | | clinical lines, such as pediatrics and |
| industries share a similar profile and | | | | surgery, with a chief heading each; on the |
| nowhere is that more apparent than in New | | | | faculty side, the structure is divided along |
| England. In fact, some of the country's | | | | department lines such as humanities and |
| leading universities are located in New | | | | social science with a department chair of |
| England. Many of these colleges and | | | | each. If you look at the roles and titles of |
| universities also have prestigious medical | | | | administrators between the two industries, |
| schools, such as Tufts, Boston University, | | | | you will see that health care and academia |
| University of Massachusetts, Yale, Harvard, | | | | have parallel responsibilities: for example, |
| Brown and Dartmouth, and they are affiliated | | | | both may have a vice president in charge of |
| with the area's top teaching and community | | | | plant and facilities or a vice president of |
| hospitals. Gary Vassar, Director of Human | | | | finance." Another example in the finance area |
| Resources at Children's Hospital, notes that | | | | is the controller or trust fund finance |
| the close affiliation between academia and | | | | position that is similar in both health care |
| health care also extends into the training of | | | | and higher education, especially given |
| allied health professionals; now most nurses | | | | similar cultures, missions and operations. |
| and other non-physician providers are trained | | | | |
| in schools that are part of university or | | | | Transitioning Between The Two Industries |
| college systems. In addition, many of the | | | | |
| instructors for these academic programs are | | | | The fact that there are so many similarities |
| also practitioners. | | | | between health care and higher education is |
| | | | good news for professionals in both |
| Besides sharing a close connection from an | | | | industries. Many people have successfully |
| academic perspective, health care and higher | | | | made the transition from one industry to the |
| education institutions share many | | | | other. The skills required for mid- to |
| similarities in terms of organizational | | | | senior-level administrative positions are |
| structure, philosophy or mission and | | | | complementary and applicable to either |
| personnel needs. These similarities open the | | | | industry. The cultures are similar, as are |
| way to increased career opportunities for | | | | the roles within the operations area, often |
| seasoned organizational leaders, especially | | | | leading to a smooth transition for the new |
| during these times of strong demand coupled | | | | employee. |
| with a limited supply of professionals. For | | | | |
| this reason, many employers are seeking to | | | | MIT's Avakian believes that the essential |
| hire people from similar industries, rather | | | | skills for many roles, such as human |
| than requiring specific industry experience. | | | | resources, purchasing, facilities management, |
| | | | budget, and audit are easily transferable |
| Health care and higher education | | | | between industries. "The nuts and bolts of |
| organizations are service providers. Their | | | | the job are similar. I have a friend in HR at |
| success depends on their strong reputation | | | | a manufacturing firm; she spends a |
| and the satisfaction of their customers with | | | | considerable amount of time dealing with |
| the quality of the service provided. Quality | | | | incentive compensation and other for-profit |
| is determined through consumer feedback and | | | | issues. My job requires more time dealing |
| success rates. This contrasts with many other | | | | with labor/employee relations and management |
| industries, which are sales-oriented and | | | | structure issues in higher education, just as |
| product-driven in nature. | | | | I did when I worked in health care. |
| | | | Similarly, in the specialty fields, a |
| Health care and higher education | | | | research biologist here at MIT also could |
| organizations have to compete mightily for | | | | work in health care." |
| customers, requiring these institutions to | | | | |
| invest in the resources that will help them | | | | Mark Kostegan, President of the Healthcare |
| be more qualityoriented, more cost-conscious, | | | | Foundation of Cape Cod, hired several |
| more customer service driven and more | | | | professionals with higher education |
| innovative than their competitors. | | | | experience into positions he supervised while |
| | | | at Children's Hospital and Massachusetts Eye |
| Higher education and health care attract | | | | & Ear Infirmary. "I looked into the academic |
| individuals with similar profiles. "The | | | | pool for talent in the area of development |
| service mission of both health care and | | | | and concluded that if you can raise money |
| higher education tends to attract people who | | | | successfully in academia, you can transfer |
| are engaged in a social cause," according to | | | | those skills to health care, and vice versa. |
| Laura Avakian, Vice President of Human | | | | It's the same skill set, tactics and process. |
| Resources at the Massachusetts Institute of | | | | Basically it's a service-based environment |
| Technology (MIT) and former Senior Vice | | | | with a strong social cause. There are few |
| President of Human Resources at Beth Israel | | | | obstacles to prevent someone from |
| Deaconess Medical Center and CareGroup, Inc. | | | | transitioning from one environment to |
| "Employees at all levels have social good as | | | | another. With the right skill set, you can be |
| an important cause in their daily work." | | | | successful in either arena." |
| | | | |
| Both health care and higher education are | | | | Keene Metzger, Dean for Administration at |
| labor-intensive industries, employing a | | | | Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at |
| widely diverse population, in terms of | | | | Harvard University and former Vice President |
| ethnicity, job function and level of | | | | of Finance at Somerville Hospital, |
| education. As Avakian explains, "You have | | | | acknowledges that switching industries can be |
| highly educated people at one end of the | | | | worrisome. One may be concerned with the |
| spectrum, such as doctors and professors. On | | | | different skill base and knowledge needed for |
| the other end of the spectrum, there is a | | | | the new industry. As a financial officer for |
| large population of culturally diverse | | | | the third time, but without experience in |
| individuals whose first language is often not | | | | academia, Metzger had this to add: "The key |
| English. These are the dominant ends of the | | | | is to listen to the advice of those who have |
| spectrum with specialized folks in between, | | | | been in the industry for a long time. There |
| providing an interesting organizational | | | | is a wide range of opportunities and if you |
| structure, which significantly affects policy | | | | listen to others you can benefit from their |
| making. This is of particular importance | | | | strengths and knowledge. Keep your eyes and |
| since these industries are complex, labor | | | | ears open." Cheryl Hoffman agrees, "Be open |
| intensive organizations, where salary and | | | | minded; learn and begin to understand the |
| benefits account for about 50% of the | | | | organization before you move forward with |
| operating budget. Compare that to the airline | | | | changes. New blood and new perspectives can |
| industry, for example, which may be at 20%. | | | | be very healthy for the organization as well |
| In health care and higher education, you need | | | | for the individual." |
| hundreds of people with specialized skills at | | | | |
| all different levels to make the place run | | | | This article is drawn from Phillips DiPisa's |
| well." | | | | Thought Leadership Library. You can find |
| | | | more perspectives on managing today's complex |
| Most health care and higher education | | | | healthcare organizations on our Web site at |
| institutions are long-standing, | | | | |
| not-for-profit organizations with rich | | | | Phillips, DiPisa & Associates |
| traditions dating back one hundred years or | | | | |
| more. Over time, they evolved into complex | | | | 62 Derby Street |
| organizations, where decision-making involves | | | | |
| input from a variety of key constituencies | | | | Hingham, MA 02043telephone: 781-740-9064 |
| with a variety of viewpoints. For example, | | | | |
| hospital administrators must involve | | | | Copyright (c) 2007. Phillips, DiPisa & |
| physicians who may be reluctant to embrace | | | | Associates. |