Women in Executive Healthcare Roles
Women have had an inextricable impact on the modern healthcare profession for as long as it has existed, stretching all the way back to Florence Nightingale and the foundation of nursing itself. And that impact is still felt today. Now more than ever, women are leading health teams and influencing care all over the world—but there is still much progress to be made.
March is Women’s History Month, and it’s the perfect time to consider the role of women in healthcare and in particular executive healthcare roles. The truth is that there is still a wide gender disparity when it comes to executive leadership in healthcare. And the COVID-19 pandemic has affected things, too. What does the current landscape look like, and what can we expect for the future?
The Gender Disparity in Executive Healthcare Roles
Women comprise 70% of the globe’s healthcare staff. But only 25% of senior leaders in healthcare are women. And according to a study by the National Institutes of Health, there are significant gender disparities among chief officer positions in healthcare, otherwise known as the C-suite. In 2012, although women had the same amount of time and experience as men in healthcare management, only 11% of those women achieved chief executive officer (CEO) positions compared to 22% of men. Unfortunately, in the ten years since, the gap has improved only marginally.
The Impact of COVID-19
The pandemic’s impact on women in the workforce as a whole has been well-documented. More women than men left their professions during the pandemic, largely because of childcare and family concerns. And women remain largely absent from national or global decision-making when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic and responding to it. It’s safe to say that the pandemic has not exactly had a positive effect on women in healthcare, and healthcare leadership—but that may be changing for the better.
The Future of Women in Executive Healthcare Roles
It’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to women in executive healthcare roles. The truth is that inspiring women are making incredible differences in health systems across the globe. And the call for women in positions of leadership has never been louder. A 2016 study by the Peterson Institute shows that having women in positions of top management is linked directly to increased profitability. As diversity and inclusion efforts ramp up across a variety of industries, the healthcare industry is following suit—expect to see more and more women promoted within healthcare systems and more women occupying executive positions as time goes on.
Meet Your Diversity Recruiting Goals With Merraine Group®
Does your organization need to hire a C-suite level executive or another type of manager or director? Need to meet—and exceed—diversity recruiting goals while finding your next top executive? That’s where Merraine Group comes in. Our healthcare and executive recruiters can leverage their broad networks and industry experience to help your organization find the top-level executive talent it’s looking for.
In Loving Memory of Barbara Ratner, SVP of Merraine Group (11/07/1933 – 03/08/2022)Â
We take this opportunity to honor a very special woman, a legend in executive search and a thought leader in healthcare talent acquisition. In addition to the 20+ years of impact and influence that Barb had on our organization, her touch is weaved into every client and candidate that she interacted with. Barb was inspiring, encouraging and extraordinary in delivering results! She will continue to shine through the ongoing implementation of her strategies, exemplary service and desirable solutions.
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