Physician's Leadership Academy
Physician's Leadership Academy
Oakland University School of Business Administration in collaboration with PACE
Co-facilitators: Profs. Michelle Hammond and Greg Thrasher
This structured executive program provides a foundation of key theories and approaches to leadership and opportunities for practical development of leadership skills. It will focus on both developing individual leaders and leadership capacity in organizations to promote organizational effectiveness with an emphasis on healthcare organizations. Additionally, it synthesizes the main challenges to effective leadership, how to learn from leadership failures and prevent destructive leadership.
The program also integrates four Business Essentials modules to highlight and explore core competencies that will be foundational to your functional role in leadership including principles in accounting, finance, economics and strategic management.
Transcript
Hello Corewell Physicians!
Have you ever wondered what does good leadership look like? Have you ever asked am I engaging in the best leadership practices I can be? Have you ever wondered am I taking the appropriate steps to get the most out of my career?
Well, you're in the right place. My name is Greg Thrasher, and this is Michelle Hammond. We're organizational psychologists who are also professors of management at Oakland University, and we will be the co-facilitators for this year's Corewell Physicians’ Academy.
Greg and I use a scientist practitioner model for our leadership development. We have published several papers in the area and done consulting with many high level professionals, such as yourself, across a wide variety of industries. Whether we're working with lawyers, the military or even rugby players, we focus on helping high-level professionals and trusted partners become the best leaders that they can be.
Our philosophy is grounded in three principles. First, we highlight that leadership development is indeed personal development, and this allows for a multi-domain approach, where we realize that our work roles are not isolated from the many other roles that we have in life and a lot of the principles that we talk about are applicable, not just in work, but outside of work as well. Most importantly, we take an evidence-based approach which is tailored and data-driven, and evidence-based, not only in the content that we teach, but also the processing of adult development and learning we strive to embody this philosophy through four key pillars.
Firstly, although you will get a certificate at the end of leadership academy, we encourage leaders to be lifelong scholars, and what this means is giving you the tools and resources to seek out your own solutions even after the conclusion of the academy. We focus on building adaptability especially within a healthcare system. Being able to be adaptable and understanding that certain contexts require different leadership styles is key to success. We're taken an identity-based approach, which acknowledges that what it means to be a leader is different for all individuals, and understanding who you are as a leader can help you better lead others. We also focus on empowerment, which really means to us that you can't do everything all the time. And by empowering those around you through skills behaviors mission and vision, we can make better collective leadership capacity. We underly this entire philosophy with focus on building self-awareness, a sense of competence and key relationships across your stakeholders.
So what are some of the benefits of participating in the Physicians Leadership Academy? Well, you'll develop deep knowledge of leadership, research and best practices that you can apply today. We'll help you to build business and to become a trusted business partner by focusing on topics, such as accounting and economics. We'll help you to build self-awareness through a 360-degree feedback assessment in which you'll get feedback from meaningful people in your orbit as well as be able to compare that information with how you see yourself. We'll meet with you individually and coach you to be able to lead in the best way possible, and we also include several self-assessments to help build self-awareness. Importantly, we focus on building relationships across the hospital system depending on whatever functional area, you're in you'll be able to meet people from lots of different areas. From East to West, we help to build appreciation for a diversity of perspectives, which allows you to see different ways of working and different ways of thinking about things. Ultimately, we want to develop your effective teams within the hospital system and help you to work best with other people.
As Greg mentioned, we can't go it alone all right so what do we do? Being involved in Leadership Academy revolves functionally around monthly sessions, which will be conducted both remotely and sporadically in person. In these sessions, Michelle and I will engage in many lectures to inform you of best practices and a little bit of science. We'll do case studies where you'll see how real world leaders have solved real-world challenges. We'll get you role playing. We like to create a safe space where you can practice some of the skills we're learning in a low-risk environment.
We build a large-scale, ongoing team project that takes place over the entire cohort. In this project, you and a select group will identify a relevant and cross-functional issue and build toward a solution by collecting data and talking to relevant stakeholders. We engage in continued feedback and assessment, not just in the 360, but within each session, learning and being able to evaluate those behaviors within each session.
We also have a high-level Corwell leader come in to speak about their leadership journey and how you can connect this information to values and goals within the healthcare system. So what is our roadmap for the session? We focus, first, on leading ourselves. We talk about topics, such as who are you as a physician leader. We focus on giving you a foundation in leadership, knowledge and best practices. We talk about ways that you can build your business through accounting and economics.
Phase two is focused on leading others. We highlight ways that you can build your team and engage in inclusive leadership practices. We talk about our mission, vision and values, not just from the high-level organizations, but ways you can put that into practice in your own departments and your own teams. We highlight law ethics and compliance to make sure that you're engaging in ethical practices.
Phase three is focused on leading into the future. This involves both change management, which can be quite difficult sometimes as well as building a positive culture. The program ends with a graduation event. This is a fantastic, enjoyable experience where each team presents their projects, and we really celebrate all the hard work that you've been engaged in the yearlong. We can't wait to see you and get started soon!
Our Approach to Leadership Development
Our approach is tailored, data-driven and evidence-based. The content is based on research in the fields of management, organizational behavior and psychology, and is paired with reflection and discussion that is relevant to the context within healthcare. We see leadership development as personal development. To develop leaders that can build effective teams and organizations, we must take a holistic approach to understanding participants’ goals, motivations and development.
Program Goals
After participating in the development program, leaders will be able to…
- Understand best practices for leadership behaviors
- Assess their behaviors in relation to best practices
- Engage in effective development of leader-follower relationships
- Be more effective agents of positive change
- Set meaningful goals for themselves and their team
- Understand and manage their department’s overarching values and culture
We strongly believe that program success can only be defined through a data-driven program evaluation. To do this, we plan to collect relevant leadership and work-related metrics at the start, mid-point and at program completion.
Monthly Seminars: The primary delivery of the academy will be through monthly half-day seminars. The delivery of the seminars will involve a combination of mini-lectures, group discussions, and activities such as short case studies, role-plays, and other exercises.
Application: In addition to attendance at the seminars, it is estimated that participants will need to set aside one to two hours per week for additional resources (podcasts) and reflection on the application of the materials.
Team project: An action learning project in small groups will provide an additional opportunity to put into practice content from the session within the context of a real work challenge participants face with built-in reflection on the process of working together. The group project is embedded throughout the program.
360-Feedback and coaching: Participants will complete a 360-degree evaluation integrating feedback across colleagues and personal relationships to improve self-awareness. Each participant will meet for 1:1 coaching to interpret the feedback and set personalized goals.
January 18, 2025
Topic: Who are You as a Physician Leader?
Details: This session will focus on unpacking leadership assumptions and myths. We will discuss ways in which your identity as a physician augments or conflicts with your identity as a leader and ways to build authentic leadership. The focus of this session is building self-awareness.
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: Costa Andreau
Bio
As the President of Corewell Health Medical Group East, Dr. Andreou’s focus is on seamlessly integrating healthcare services to align with the mission and vision of the network. Utilizing his competencies in healthcare management, practice growth, and patient safety, he is dedicated to optimizing patient care across all facets of the healthcare continuum.
His prior tenure as Chief Clinical Officer at The Christ Hospital Health Network and President of the Christ Hospital Physicians, as well as his years at Caromont Health, Novant Health, and Mid Carolina Cardiology, were instrumental in propelling multi double-digit growth in clinical practice volumes and preparing those organizations for a shift from volume-based to value-based reimbursement models. Leading initiatives that prioritize clinical quality, practice growth, patient experience, and safety, he has played a pivotal role in enhancing medical community and organizational development while advising and participating in executive leadership for critical decisions. At every organization that he has worked at, Dr. Andreou participated in multiple community-based not-for-profit organizations with significant leadership positions in those organizations.
Dr. Andreou received his medical degree from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, followed by an Internal Medicine Residency at Bassett Healthcare (affiliated with Columbia University), Fellowships in Cardiology and Cardiomyopathy at Boston University Medical Center where he was a Merck Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and Interventional Cardiology at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. He obtained a Masters in Business Administration from Duke University followed by a Certificate in Health Sector Management from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
He continues to practice Clinical Cardiology on a part-time basis.
Location: Virtual Leadership
February 15, 2025
Topic: Leadership Foundations
Details: This session will focus on learning leadership best practices. We will cover ideas such as transformational leadership and servant leadership. Ultimately this session is focused on building your behavioral repertoire and adaptability as a physician leader.
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: Dan Carey, President, Royal Oak
Bio
Daniel Carey, MD, MCHM, is president of Corewell Health’s Royal Oak acute care campus. He is responsible for strategy development, daily operations and financial performance of the 1,101 bed, full-service community campus, including the laboratory, as well as ambulatory, diagnostic and surgery centers.
Dr. Carey has served in many health care leadership roles throughout his career and spent more than two decades as a cardiologist in Lynchburg, Virginia. Appointed by the governor, he served as Virginia’s Secretary of Health and Human Resources from January 2018 to November 2021, leading Virginia’s pandemic response. He then joined Providence, where he was senior vice president and chief medical officer of the Physician Enterprise.
Previously, he served as senior vice president and chief medical officer of Centra and oversaw information technology services, quality and safety, performance improvement initiatives and medical staff functions at Centra’s acute care facilities.
Dr. Carey has also served as the president of the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine, the Medical Society of Virginia and the Medical Society of Virginia’s Foundation.
He earned his bachelor’s in political and social thought from the University of Virginia, his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and a master’s in Health Care Management from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Location: Virtual Leadership
March 15, 2025
Topic: Virtual Accounting/Managerial Accounting
Details: This module examines standard financial and managerial accounting principles that provide a foundational approach to fiduciary responsibilities as participants grow in their leadership responsibilities. Small groups will examine a case study that encourages practical application of these principles in the context of healthcare providers. Afterwards, groups share their findings to provide deeper understandings of the unique financial and budgeting considerations that healthcare administrators face while aligning to the organization's mission.
Instructor: Sha Zhao
Corewell Health Guest Speakers: Christopher Flores, CFO/SVP/VP Finance Officer/Financial Operations; Chris Bruerton, Senior Vice President, Corewell Health East
Bios
Christopher Flores is senior vice president, Finance for Beaumont Health, an eight-hospital health system with 150+ outpatient sites, nearly 5,000 affiliated physicians, 1,800 advanced practice providers, 9,000 nurses and 2,000 volunteers across three counties in Southeast Michigan.
In this role, Flores directs the financial structure, operations and activities of Beaumont in collaboration with the system CFO to maximize revenue, profitability and productivity. He analyzes financial and statistical data and provides financial leadership to the vice presidents responsible for the operations of Beaumont. Flores has 26 years of diverse financial management experience, primarily in health care. He joined Beaumont in 2021 as vice president, Financial Operations and Corporate Finance. He then served as market CFO of Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, before assuming his current role. Prior to Beaumont, Flores was interim market CFO for Carondelet Health Network in Tucson, Arizona.
Flores is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Healthcare Financial Management Association. He earned a Bachelor of Accountancy degree from New Mexico State University.
Location: Virtual
April 19, 2025
Topic: Application of Economic Analysis to the Healthcare Industry and Government Health Care Policy
Details: This module will explore application of economic analysis to the healthcare industry and government health care policy. It examines the impact of the special characteristics of health care and the medical services industry on the pattern of health care produced, its distribution and resource allocation within the industry.
Instructor: Dr. Douglas Carr
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: Debra A. Guido-Allen, President, Corewell Health Dearborn Hospital
Bio
Debra Guido-Allen, RN, serves as president, Corewell Health Dearborn Hospital, overseeing strategy development, daily operations and financial performance of the 632-bed acute care campus.
Prior to her role as president, Guido-Allen was the interim president at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital as well as chief operating officer. As the COO, she was responsible for the administrative oversight and strategic direction of operations, including surgical services, imaging, emergency services, patient and family care activities. She also oversaw quality management and patient safety for the hospital and its ambulatory, diagnostic and surgery centers.
A registered nurse since 1986, Guido-Allen held various staff, leadership and administrative positions at Beaumont Hospitals in Royal Oak and Troy. Throughout her more than 30-year Beaumont career, Debbie worked to help her teams deliver high quality, patient and family-centered care in partnership with physicians, administrators, employees and volunteers.
She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Oakland University and an MBA in Health Care Administration from American InterContinental University. She is a member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives; the Michigan Organization of Nurse Leaders, where she is a past president; and the American College of Healthcare Executives. A fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Guido-Allen serves on the Oakland University School of Nursing Board of Visitors and is a commissioner on the State of Michigan Certificate of Need Commission.
Location: Virtual Economics
May 17, 2025
Topic: Team Building and Inclusive Leadership
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: N/A
Location: In-Person TBD
June 7, 2025
Topic: Connecting to the Mission, Vision, and Values
Details: Some suggest upwards of 70% of change initiatives fail. The goal of this session is to understand what makes change so difficult and provide practices to improve the likelihood of success. We will discuss the strategic vision and mission of organizations as guiding change and the importance of connecting everyday actions with healthcare organizational values. Issues such as change readiness and resistance to change will be addressed.
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: Liz Youngblood, MBA, RN, FACHE, Chief Operating Officer, Corewell Health Southeast Michigan
Bio
Liz Youngblood is chief operating officer of Corewell Health Southeast Michigan and leads operations and strategic implementation for the East Region including eight hospitals across three counties. Liz also serves as a member of the Corewell Health leadership team.
Before joining Corewell Health in 2024, Liz held executive leadership positions at CommonSpirit Health in Texas. Prior to that, she led teams at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and at Baylor Scott and White Health.
Liz has diverse leadership experience spanning for-profit, academic and nonprofit health systems. She has expertise in strategic planning and implementation, organizational growth, population health management and operational efficiency.
She was recognized as a Top 50 Leading Business Woman by the Mississippi Business Journal, a Woman Who Means Business by the Houston Business Journal and was also honored as a Distinguished Alumna from the SMU Cox School of Business.
Liz is a registered nurse with credentials from Ona M. Wilcox School of Nursing. In addition, she has a bachelor's degree from West Texas A&M University and an MBA from Southern Methodist University. Liz is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and has served on multiple boards. She volunteers in the community, including serving as the Houston American Heart Association Go Red for Women campaign chair and chair of the Quality Texas Foundation.
Location: Virtual Leadership
Topic: 360-degree feedback – Individual online – as scheduled
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: N/A
Location: Virtual Leadership Asynchronous Online (as scheduled with the participant) for the 360 degree feedback
August 9, 2025
Topic: Healthcare Law, Compliance and Requirements
Details: In this module of the Physician Leadership Academy, we will be focusing on compliance and examining the False Claims Act, the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law. I have compiled/prepared some readings for you to look at before our session. The readings are embedded as links.
First, is a brief overview of why medical professionals need to know about these laws: The Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute: What Are They and Why Do Health Care Industry Participants Need to Know? Next, are a few court opinions in cases involving these statutes. It is important to understand how the courts interpret these laws in real world situations. In U.S. v. Krizek, the court deals with a claim brought under the False Claims Act. The Anti-Kickback Statute is dealt with in U.S. v. Greber. Then, in U.S. v. Halifax Hospital Medical Center, the court examines the Stark Law. Lastly, I’d like for you to look at an advisory opinion issued by CMS.
Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Cordon Thor
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: Michelle McDonald, Compliance and Privacy Officer
Bio
Michele McDonald, DHD, serves as the Compliance and Privacy Officer for Corewell Health East, a prominent healthcare system in Michigan. In this capacity, she oversees the organization's compliance with healthcare regulations and ensures the protection of patient privacy.
Prior to her current role, Dr. McDonald held the position of Corporate Compliance Officer at Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw, Michigan. During her tenure, she was responsible for managing the compliance program and addressing regulatory concerns within the organization.
Dr. McDonald earned her Doctorate in Health Administration (DHD), equipping her with extensive knowledge in healthcare management and policy. Her career has been dedicated to upholding ethical standards and regulatory compliance in healthcare settings, ensuring that organizations operate within legal frameworks while delivering quality patient care.
Throughout her career, Dr. McDonald has demonstrated a commitment to fostering a culture of compliance and privacy within healthcare organizations. Her leadership in these areas contributes significantly to the integrity and trustworthiness of the institutions she serves.
Location: Virtual
September 20, 2025
Topic: Change Management in Healthcare
Details: Some suggest upwards of 70% of change initiatives fail. The goal of this session is to understand what makes change so difficult and provide practices to improve the likelihood of success. Issues such as change readiness and resistance to change will be addressed.
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: Peter Chavat, Chief Medical Officer Corewell Health East Michigan
Bio
Peter brings 25+ years of executive healthcare leadership experience at system, market, and hospital levels. Currently he serves as the Chief Medical Officer of the Corewell Health East Michigan Market.
As a market Chief Clinical Officer at Bon Secours Mercy Health I led successful programs across the clinical enterprise including:
- Care standardization
- Service line growth
- Clinical strategy
During his tenure as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of St. Joseph’s Main and Children’s Hospitals, the hospitals were recognized for quality care and operational performance with awards including IBM Watson Top 100 Large Hospital, Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital, and Leapfrog A.
He also led systemwide initiatives for BayCare Health, including:
- Implementing an evidence-based care transformation program
- Developing programs that addressed systemwide throughput barriers
- Leading systemwide Transitions of Care Program
Previously, he served as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Johnston Health – UNC Healthcare, where he served on multiple UNC Healthcare committees and designed ACO population health management programs. He also developed a nationally-recognized readmission reduction program for Johnston Health.
His key areas of expertise include:
Care Transformation | Quality & Patient Safety | Population Health | Patient Experience | Medical Group Leadership | Performance Improvement | Service Line Optimization
He is certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine and am a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. I completed my MBA in Health Administration at the University of Colorado and MD at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine.
Location: Virtual Leadership
October 18, 2025
Topic: Building a Positive Culture
Details: You have more influence than you think! The goal of the final session is to identify ways you can build a positive organizational culture regardless of your leadership level. We will unpack the dimensions of culture and ways to build positive cultural change in healthcare.
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: Paul Sturgis, MSHROD, SPHR, Director of Talent and Culture, Corewell Health
Bio
Paul has over 30 years of progressive HR experience leading change, executing process improvement, designing and implementing interventions, and providing expertise in people management. In his current role, Paul provides leadership and oversight for Corewell Health’s initiatives in culture, talent management, change management and organizational design and development.
He has also previously held executive and leadership roles in a variety of industries and organizations including Michigan Medicine, Tenet Healthcare, Detroit Medical Center, Sparrow Health System, Detroit Public Schools and DTE Energy. Paul is also a board Trustee Emeritus with the Michigan School of Psychology.
Paul possesses a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Master of Science degree in Human Resources and Organizational Development from Eastern Michigan University and has completed the University of Michigan/ Ross School of Business Advanced Human Resources Executive Program.
Location: Virtual Leadership
November 15, 2025
Topic: Project Presentation Dress Rehearsal
Location: Meet in person at the Corewell Health Service Center at 26901 Beaumont Blvd, Southfield, MI 48033. (A Zoom link will be provided to the physicians from Corewell West.)
December 6, 2025
Topic: Project Presentations
Location: In-Person Graduation (Southfield) and Virtual
All virtual sessions are scheduled for Saturday 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. In-person sessions will be held 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Alternate times may be available as agreed upon between Corewell and Oakland University.
All virtual sessions are scheduled for Saturday 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. In-person sessions will be held 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Alternate times may be available as agreed upon between Corewell and Oakland University.
All in-person sessions will be held:
Corewell Health Southfield Center (Formerly Beaumont Service Center)
Room B14
26901 Beaumont Blvd.
Southfield, MI 48033
Parking: VISITOR parking and enter via the MAIN entrance (it will be the only one unlocked). The lecture room B14 is immediately to the LEFT in the “B” neighborhood.
AND
TBD (WEST)
January 17, 2026
Topic: Who are You as a Physician Leader?
Details: This session will focus on unpacking leadership assumptions and myths. We will discuss ways in which your identity as a physician augments or conflicts with your identity as a leader and ways to build authentic leadership. The focus of this session is building self-awareness.
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: TBD
Location: Virtual Leadership
February 14, 2026
Topic: Leadership Foundations
Details: This session will focus on learning leadership best practices. We will cover ideas such as transformational leadership and servant leadership. Ultimately this session is focused on building your behavioral repertoire and adaptability as a physician leader.
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: TBD
Location: Virtual Leadership
March 14, 2026
Topic: Business Essentials #1 - Accounting/Managerial Accounting
Details: TBD
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: TBD
Location: Virtual Leadership
April 18, 2026
Topic: Team Building and Inclusive Leadership--Mandatory in-person for ALL participants.
Details: In-person session held 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: TBD
Location: The Graduate by Hilton East Lansing, 133 Evergreen Ave, East Lansing, MI 48823. Phone: (517) 348-0900
May 16, 2026
Topic: Business Essentials #2 - Application of Economic Analysis to the Healthcare Industry and Government Health Care Policy
Details: TBD
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: TBD
Location: Virtual Leadership
June 6, 2026
Topic: Connecting to the Mission, Vision and Values
Details: TBD
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: TBD
Location: Virtual Leadership
Topic: 360 Degree Feedback – Individual online – as scheduled
Location: Virtual Leadership Asynchronous Online (as scheduled with the participant) for the 360 degree feedback
August 8, 2026
Topic: Change Management in Healthcare
Details: TBD
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: TBD
Location: Virtual Leadership
September 19, 2026
Topic: Business Essentials #3 - Healthcare Law, Compliance and Requirements
Details: Some suggest upwards of 70% of change initiatives fail. The goal of this session is to understand what makes change so difficult and provide practices to improve the likelihood of success. Issues such as change readiness and resistance to change will be addressed.
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: TBD
Location: Virtual Leadership
October 17, 2026
Topic: Building a Positive Culture
Details: You have more influence than you think! The goal of the final session is to identify ways you can build a positive organizational culture regardless of your leadership level. We will unpack the dimensions of culture and ways to build positive cultural change in healthcare.
Corewell Health Guest Speaker: TBD
Location: Virtual Leadership
November 14, 2026
Topic: Project Presentations/Graduation Preparation
Location: Virtual Leadership
December 5, 2026
Topic: Graduation/Project Presentations
Location: In-Person Graduation (Southfield) and Virtual
Professional and Continuing Education
456 Pioneer Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4482
(location map)
(248) 370-3177
[email protected]
Professional and Continuing Education
456 Pioneer Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4482
(location map)
(248) 370-3177
[email protected]
