Penn Medicine recognizes the importance of investing in the professional development of existing and emerging Advance Practice (APP) leaders throughout the organization. Through formalized training and professional development, mentorship, and experiential learning, APP leaders at all levels of the organization have the accountability and authority for advanced practice that’s needed to drive performance and impact outcomes. We partner closely with executive leaders, administrators, physician and nursing leaders as well as other key stakeholders on strategic decision-making, change management, and designing care models to ensure the best possible processes are in place, and outcomes are achieved. It is our philosophy that strong leaders are critical to optimizing the performance and maximizing value of APPs.
APP Leadership Roles at Penn Medicine
Formal leadership governs Advanced Practice across Penn Medicine, with leadership opportunities at the local clinical teams all the way to executive-level decision makers. Likewise, there is collaboration between senior APP leaders across all of Penn Medicine to set and drive strategic priorities.
Advanced Practice leaders at Penn Medicine are engaged, innovative, creative, collaborative and disciplined. They have considerable skill and competency in areas such as:
- Nimble learning
- Managing ambiguity
- Resilency
- Interpersonal and organizational saavy
- Building networks
Formal leaders (Clinical Leads and Managers) are accountable for:
- Recruitment, retention, workforce planning and development of staffing models
- Orientation, onboarding, professional development, employee engagement and satisfaction
- Budget planning and partnership between the clinical service and the Office of Advanced Practice, dependent upon setting.
Additionally, there are opportunities for leadership informally through our Advanced Practice Committee structure as well as targeted opportunities to participate in organizational committees, service line initiatives, and/or focused project work.
System APP Leader
- Manages the organizational strategy and integration of APPs across the system
- Leads APP initiatives and programs in support of the development, oversight, and tactical delivery of our growing workforce
- Responsible for advancement of Advanced Practice goals and priorities
- Promotes Penn Medicine’s commitment to patient centered care, new knowledge and innovation, team collaboration, and evidence-based practice
Senior Level APP Leader
- Partners with senior entity leadership on establishing short- and long-range strategic plans
- Serves as entity leader for APPs including planning, developing, and directing global APP operations
- Responsible for employee engagement and satisfaction, strategy and operations, daily operations, budget planning, and general human resources needs
- Oversees partnerships between the service line leadership and clinicians and the Office of Advance Practice Providers
- Serves on Health System APP Leadership Council, setting system strategic priorities for APPs
APP Manager and Leads
- Through collaboration with the interdisciplinary unit-based clinical leadership team, builds innovative models of care driving excellence in patient-centered outcomes and team satisfaction
- Identifies and capitalizes on strengths and opportunities for growth to develop and manage high-functioning teams
- Aligns with the needs and interests of the individual team member, fosters professional growth through orientation, structured educational opportunities, mentorship, and the facilitation of larger health system involvement through committee work, stretch projects, and advancement
- Collaborates with APP leaders across the Department of Advanced Practice to advance the Department’s and Penn Medicine’s strategic goals and mission
Development of APP Leaders
All APP leaders within Penn Medicine are supported through structured orientation, mentorship, and professional development. We believe strongly that this investment not only supports individual APP leadership development, but also supports a culture of excellence that allows us to recruit and retain top talent.
Formally and informally, new and experienced APP leaders receive instruction and support around fundamental leadership topics such as building teams, behavioral interviewing, performance management, employee engagement, change management, communication, and financial accountability. Additionally, there is formal coursework through the Penn Medicine Academy (PMA) that focuses on management fundamentals including finance, human resources, and quality. PMA offers a host of resources around giving and receiving feedback, strategic planning, onboarding, talent development, change management, and performance improvement.