St. John's Mercy Physician Clinical Council

A Shared Governance Model for Physician Engagement

Denny DeNarvez, president and CEO of St. John’s Mercy Health Care in St. Louis, Missouri, is a fan of the Physician Clinical Council (PCC). Which is no surprise when you learn that she first developed a similar shared governance model in 1999 while serving as CEO of the Minneapolis Heart Institute; and again, a few years later, as CEO of Abbott Northwestern Hospital. Now she’s imported the Physician Clinical Council to St. John’s Mercy with significant and positive results.

The PCC concept is based on a simple set of truths, says DeNarvez. “The business decisions of the hospital affect physicians, just as their business decisions impact the hospital. The reality is that patient care is largely directed by physicians who are practicing independently. Doctors and hospitals must work together to ensure quality and efficiency in patient care.”

At St. John’s Mercy, the Physician Clinical Council is a shared leadership model that engages physician leaders in the business side of running a hospital. Ten physicians sit on the council – chosen for their leadership abilities vs. longevity or representational position – and meet every two weeks to discuss and weigh in on issues such as new clinical services, technology acquisitions, business strategies, market dynamics, physician recruitment. Physicians are paired with an executive counterpart and receive coaching on aspects of leadership, conflict management and finance, among other topics.

“Establishing the Clinical Council has been a positive development for the medical staff,” said Dr. Charles Rehm, president of the St. John’s Mercy medical staff. “It created another level of much-needed dialogue and signaled that the CEO really wanted to engage physicians in two-way communications.”

Download our white paper to learn more about how the Physician Clinical Council works, as well as steps to take when considering a shared governance structure.

Karen Corrigan