Never stop learning. Penn Medicine employees first hear that message the day they’re hired, and as they tackle onboarding requirements which not only impart practical information – HIPAA laws, safety protocols, etc. – but also the organization’s culture and emphasis on personal development. “I want people to spend their whole careers at Penn Medicine,” University of Pennsylvania Health System CEO Kevin B. Mahoney is fond of saying. “I want them to choose this organization, no matter what job they start at; they’ll find ample opportunities to try new things and advance.”
Some employees start their careers at Penn Medicine right out of high school, for example through the Penn Medicine Pathways – Emerging Careers Program, and others evolve in their careers as they advance as leaders, but there is always room to grow. For some, that means adding to their skillset or engaging in mentoring opportunities in order to change positions, or acquiring a certification or academic degree using Penn Medicine’s tuition and professional development benefits. Others embark on a path to learn how to become better leaders. The organization is abundant with ways to nurture everyone’s career. One recently launched effort, the Penn Medicine ACHE Leadership Program, is geared toward just that – and is producing impressive results.
Next Level
The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) is a professional development organization focused on helping people in the health care field to improve their leadership skills and knowledge base. And although “executives” is in its name, its membership isn’t limited to just Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and others in the “C-suite.” Directors, managers, and other mid-level leaders can also join ACHE to grow professionally and connect with like-minded peers.
Like many professional and trade associations, ACHE offers the opportunity to achieve Fellow status. The resulting “FACHE” credential indicates that the person who bears it has committed to an extensive program of rigorous learning about health care management, and has passed an exam to demonstrate expertise.
Mahoney has long championed the idea of Penn Medicine growing its own leaders and has pointed out that ACHE is one way that leaders can grow through participation in local and national networking events. Pursuing the FACHE credential with Penn Medicine’s support is now the latest way to get involved. “In some ways,” Mahoney says, “the FACHE as more valuable than an MBA because it’s more specific to health care.”
The yearlong program, open to both clinical and nonclinical leaders, is carefully designed to teach the “Penn Medicine Way” and achieve the FACHE credential. It mixes lectures on topics like emotional intelligence, strategic decision making, and change management with networking, volunteering, mentoring, and studying for the FACHE Board of Governors Exam.
“In a sea of advanced degrees, micro-certifications help leaders to differentiate themselves,” says Cindy Morgan, vice president, Organization Development and Learning. “The Penn Medicine ACHE Leadership program provides participants an opportunity to learn how to lead successfully at Penn Medicine, build strong relationships with other participants and leadership faculty, and access one-stop-shopping to achieving the FACHE credential.”
Amber Marie DeLoatch (in scrubs, holding certificate) with colleagues at her graduation from the Penn Medicine Pathways – Emerging Careers Program
“I dreamed of being a nurse since I was little. Stepping into the Pathways program opened a door for me to see all the different types of opportunities at Penn Medicine, even if I decide that nursing is no longer my thing. I know I have a huge support system here.”
— Amber Marie DeLoatch, Clinical Support Representative Penn Medicine Urgent Care
A Recipe for Success
The program’s first cohort has achieved a pass rate on the FACHE exam of a staggering 89 percent, compared to the national average of about 65 percent, according to Young Un Cho, a senior consultant for Talent Management and Leadership Development.
While the work was challenging, participants lauded the supports that Penn Medicine Academy built into the program’s structure. “Having the review course, practice materials, references, and others who have taken the exam before me were all very helpful in providing the focus to prepare,” noted Michael R. Ripchinski, MD, MBA, chief physician executive at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, who earned the FACHE credential as a member of the program’s first cohort. “All of this work was spread over the course of a year, and was definitely more manageable than completing my master’s degree while working!”
The second cohort is now underway, with the third cohort anticipated to open for applications over the summer. More than 120 people have been selected across two cohorts so far, including physicians, finance professionals with MBAs, and leaders across the spectrum in a variety of other crucial leadership roles across the health system. Participants have come from all six of Penn Medicine’s hospital entities, as well as Corporate, the Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania, and other entities.
That diversity ties nicely into one of Penn Medicine’s other goals: better integration and synergy among different entities. “How can you create ‘systemness’ without knowing who’s who across the Health System?” points out Cho. Through virtual breakout sessions and study groups that bring together leaders from disparate geographic regions and departments, leaders get to learn from and about each other and build their Penn Medicine network. As an additional benefit, participants from the first cohort have been tapped to serve as mentors for the second cohort, further expanding everyone’s professional circles. Says Cho, “One of the biggest things that they love about the program is connecting and creating this community.”
Career Growth Opportunities at All Levels
The ACHE Leadership Program is just one of many ways Penn Medicine is trying to attract the best and brightest, and offer all employees opportunities to grow and advance in their careers.
Penn Medicine Futures is geared towards high-potential individual contributors looking to move into management roles. Participants, who are nominated by their entity leadership, learn about leveraging their strengths, creating development plans, and exploring systemwide career management opportunities at Penn Medicine. The participants are encouraged to look for varied and diverse ways to grow, and to seek stretch assignments; they are also offered a mentor to guide their career development.
The Penn Medicine Manager Foundations and Focus series is designed for new managers to set them up for success in their new leadership role at Penn Medicine. The series of six virtual live sessions and one eLearning concentrate on building the leadership skills of new managers including establishing effective teams, delegating and directing the work of others, and providing feedback.
The Penn Medicine Pathways – Emerging Careers Program gives new high school graduates a foot in the door with roles like transport associate and materials management associate, and provide them with extra support and mentoring as they embark on their work journeys in the Health System. A new initiative, ASPIRE, aims to do the same for high school juniors who want to go into nursing.
Pathways to Promotion aims to provide a path to advancement for frontline employees in the Philadelphia area; it equips them with career coaching, education and training through the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, and periodic meetings with a recruiter, to prep them for elevating their roles in the Health System.
The Diversity Nurse Leader Fellowship encourages nurses of color to pursue higher positions, with mentorship and support, initially at HUP but with a goal to expand across the health system. Nursing also hosts several of its own programs, including Gateway to the Operating Room and Gateway to Critical Care for staff interested in these specialties.
And all employees have access to a panoply of self-directed resources for learning, and to Penn Medicine’s own leadership-oriented programs that are open to all. These include the regular Lunch With Leaders and 30-Minute Coach webcasts, the Penn Medicine Book Club, LinkedIn Learning (covering a wide array of topics, for example, project management, software fundamentals, cybersecurity), and more.
“We want all of our staff to be learners for life,” observes Mahoney. “This not only benefits our patients, but helps employees build a fulfilling career here.”
PERSPECTIVES FROM THE ACHE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM’S FIRST CLASS
Phong T. Bui, MBA, MPA, FACHE
Chief Financial Officer
Department of Medicine
Biggest takeaway: The field of health care is constantly changing and evolving, and obtaining new professional designations helps us stay current with the latest knowledge, skills, and practices. My current position focuses on the finance of the department, but I need to understand and appreciate the broader context of other issues impacting the delivery of health care, including access, quality, workforce, and even technology.
Kirsten Anderson, MSN, RN, FACHE, CNOR
Clinical Director, Perioperative Services & Interventional Radiology
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center
Why I did it: I decided to participate in the ACHE program because it is an indicator that you are dedicated and committed to excellence in the health care industry as well as excellence in administration. Preparing for this credential allowed me to remain on the cusp of innovative health care leadership, in turn helping me to provide the best environment for my team and our patients.
Michael R. Ripchinski, MD, MBA, CPE, FAAFP, FACHE
Chief Physician Executive
Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health
How it helped me: I found that learning and refreshing my memory on topics like strategy, human resources, finance, regulatory, and compliance, has absolutely helped me to be more thoughtful, ask questions, and improve my daily work for our organization and the patients we serve.