Physician leadership in changing times.

Today, hospitals and physicians are reorganizing themselves in novel ways to take advantage of payment incentives that reward shared accountability for the total health care experience. These delivery system changes will take place with our without physician leadership. To optimize change on behalf of patients, physicians must play a conscious role in shaping future health care delivery organizations. As physician leaders of three of the nation׳s largest integrated health care delivery systems - Kaiser Permanente, Virginia Mason Medical Center, and the Mayo Clinic Health System - we call on physicians to view leadership and the development of leaders as key aspects of their role as patient advocates.