Bridges or barriers? : succession planning for doctor managers

The purpose of this paper is to highlight that the lack of succession planning of the doctor manager role in Australia has individual and organisational implications. Succession planning is a business strategy that has not been embraced by all areas of healthcare organisations. Little research has been conducted on the succession planning strategies used to employ doctor managers in Australian hospitals. This paper is based on a larger qualitative study on the professional identity of doctor managers. Reference to the interviews that highlight lack of succession planning and implementation are used to argue for the need to recognise that currently there is a lack of succession planning initiatives for doctor managers. Effective management development and succession planning of doctor managers may provide a cadre of managers that have the motivation, skills and knowledge required to meet the challenges in providing an effective and responsive health care service. Health service administrators must plan for succession at all levels of management, including the doctor manager role. In a climate that is experiencing pressure to reach performance targets and reduce costs, succession planning is essential to identify, recruit, develop and mentor potential candidates to ensure they have the competencies and skills to meet the challenges of the current health care climate.