Virtual Leadership: CEOs and C‐Level Executives of Healthcare Organizations in the United States Reimagined New Roles as Virtual Leaders

Abstract

CEOs and C‐level executives of healthcare organizations in the United States reimagined their leadership roles during the COVID‐19 pandemic. These leaders had to make decisions to positively impact their hospitals, communicate with their stakeholders, protect their employees, and offer urgently needed services to the community by utilizing virtual technology. In 2020, the COVID‐19 crisis emphasized leadership in hospitals and other healthcare organizations as patients, clinicians, and staff sought clear direction in the face of uncertainty and stress. The second part of the problem was that hospitals and other healthcare leaders often arrived at their positions unprepared for their roles. The current research explored the transition CEOs, and C‐level executives of healthcare organizations in the United States made to continue operations during the pandemic. The framework of the study was a quantitative survey with a descriptive design to explore the changes these leaders incorporated to become effective in a virtual environment during challenging times.