Healthcare is a massive industry. An article on The Conversation notes that it is “an industry too big too fail,” as it accounts for almost 20% of America’s GDP. It is also the “the job engine for the U.S. economy,” having added 2.8 million jobs from 2006 to 2016. Today Maryville University details how “healthcare represents nearly 9% of total national employment.” In other words, it is and will continue to be a big business.

Consequently, it can be difficult for healthcare professionals to get ahead given how competitive the industry has become. Those who want to be leaders in this field will need to have tremendous skill and know-how. They will also need to possess the top qualities of highly effective medical leaders. These are as follows:

1. Empathetic

Healthcare professionals need to keep the golden rule in mind: Treat others the way you want them to treat you. A 2016 Massachusetts General Hospital study found that hand surgery patients treated by empathetic doctors “perceived their care as high quality.” Unfortunately, over time, clinicians can lose their cognitive empathy, or the ability “to recognize a patient’s situation, internalize the patient’s feelings, and act accordingly.” Still, many retain their affective empathy and have a visceral reaction to a patient’s suffering. But both cognitive and affective empathy are vital, more so in orthopedic rehabilitation, where patients are in extreme pain most of the time.

2. Good communicator

A Medium listicle of healthcare professional traits explains that good communicators are excellent at listening and speaking. The former allows them to gather relevant information, while the latter enables them to express vital information to patients such as How To Reduce Swelling Due To An injury. This is particularly important in rehabilitation, where recovery protocols can be detailed and tedious. A doctor explaining post-ACL surgery recovery, for instance, will have to walk a patient through the whole process – from applying cold compression days after the reconstruction, all the way to the six-month mark. The process has plenty of significant minute details, which can be missed by a doctor with poor communication skills.

3. Patience

A Chron article points out how medical professionals frequently have less-than-ideal interactions, especially with patients. Some may be uncooperative, while others may be fearful of medical treatment. In such instances, patience is critical, as it lets a healthcare professional “provide quality care even when faced with stressful or hectic situations.”

4. Emotionally stable

Lastly, emotional stability is just as important given how stressful the medical world can be. This is true even in rehabilitation, where practitioners often deal with people either in great pain or looking to recover from injuries. Without emotional stability, healthcare providers become susceptible to the follies of stress, which in turn can lead to burnout. Being emotionally stable lets practitioners keep a level head, and continue going about their day-to-day tasks.

Needless to say, our pros here at OrthoPro Services possess these same qualities. We wouldn’t want it any other way, as we take pride in being leaders in our field.

Exclusively written for orthoprousa.com by A. Barrett