The Emotionally Intelligent Physician Leader

In today’s fast-paced world of healthcare, physicians require effective tools to help manage, adapt, and get ahead in their careers. As a physician leader, it’s no secret that emotional intelligence (EI) and an emotional quotient (EQ) is critical to career and life success. Knowing how to use EI can improve relationships with your patients and interactions with your colleagues.

Embracing emotional intelligence has become an essential aspect of contemporary culture. This well-written, concise, and practical book, The Emotionally Intelligent Physician Leader, serves as both an educational overview of EQ in healthcare, and a guide for physicians to follow in pursuit of achieving their fullest potential and balancing happiness with success.

How does this book give you an advantage?

Childs shares key lessons gleaned from her career to provide physician leaders with actionable information to improve their EQ, and build better relationships with patients, as well as others within their organizations.

Here are some of the topics the author discusses in detail:

  • Physicians and managing up
  • The six primary emotions
  • Inter-departmental logistics
  • Delegation and practice efficiency
  • Basics of body language
  • When we have to say no to a patient
  • Patients making independent decisions
  • How to deal with difficult patients
  • Set the stage to establish boundaries
  • Shape patient satisfaction
  • Questions for peer discussions
  • The provider’s role and relationships
  • Communicate effectively with peers, patients, and staff

If you’re a physician, The Emotionally Intelligent Physician Leader provides practical findings and insights with emphasis on how to employ your EQ in the most beneficial way.

The Emotionally Intelligent Physcian Leader
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Susan Childs Talks New Book, Benefits of NCMS Membership

Susan Childs is the founder of Evolution Healthcare Consulting and the author of the book “The Emotionally Intelligent Physician Leader.”  She is a well-known speaker and has worked with AAP, ASCENT, ACC, AMA, and MGMA.  She shares her insights with NCMS VP of Communications Randy Aldridge on how to be a physician leader and why YOU should join the NCMS.

Praise for The Emotionally Intelligent Physician Leader

In the national conversation about physician burnout, the Great Resignation, and patient dissatisfaction—until now—no one has focused on the need for clinicians to develop emotional intelligence skill sets as a booster of resilience and practice improvement. Susan Childs, a seasoned practice management consultant, brings her discerning eye to the matter with her usual emphasis on the practical and the possible. Her focus on real-life medical office dynamics refines this important topic to the right level of real-life clinical practice to make her book an important read for those of us focused on the wicked problems in contemporary medical practice dynamics.

Grace E. Terrell, MD, MMM, CPE, FACP, FACPE

Susan Childs has demonstrated a keen, deep knowledge of the nooks and crannies of medical practice. For some of us, this book will be a great reminder of what drives us as human beings and professionals. For others, it will be a necessary primer on emotional intelligence and how to apply it to one’s practice. It is obvious after reading the book that Susan has spent her career learning, teaching, and applying these concepts. I highly recommend this resource to physicians starting out in practice, those in mid-career, and those who’d like to improve their own emotional intelligence to create a better office environment. Indeed, absorbing and putting into practice some of these lessons will improve your relationship with your patients and perhaps even with yourself.

Priya Wagle, MD

In medicine today, the human factor is often lost by the technical aspects, including EHR management, billing requirements, AI, etc. While technological advancements are critical, mastering the human element should never be overshadowed. Through her work, The Emotionally Intelligent Physician Leader, Susan reminds us how vital the physician-patient relationship truly is while delivering superior healthcare to our patients.

Donna Nicholson, MBA, BSN, RN, CPCO
Managing Director, Risk Solutions
Curi Advisory

Susan Childs skillfully captures the multifaceted nature of the demands of being a physician. She guides the reader to recognize that in our modern world of cutting-edge advancements, financial obligations, electronic medical records, and patient expectations, the real art of being a physician still lies in being a knowledgeable, empathetic, and relatable human. A successful physician can utilize Emotional Intelligence to lead, encourage, and inspire others. Childs’ book is timely and relevant, meant to teach and challenge us to be our best using our gifts.

Susan Glenn, MD, PhD
Raleigh Neurology, Raleigh, NC

Susan Childs’ book, The Emotionally Intelligent Physician Leader, has real-world authenticity. The stories and recommendations ring true, informed by her 30 years of advising practice administrators and physician leaders.
This isn’t just another bland business read. It has true application to physician practice—a must-read.

Louise Borda, CPC, MBA
Senior Associate Dean
California University of Science and Medicine

Although Emotional Intelligence is an oft-heard phrase, never has its meaning been so artfully applied and mapped out in the physician’s realm as in this work by Susan Childs.
She uses concrete examples from actual office scenarios to explain how vital it is for medical offices to be mindful of emotional intelligence and how it impacts the care they provide and the morale of the office staff. In this era where staff retention is increasingly difficult, Childs’ advice on how to ensure your practice model and medical care incorporate a high degree of emotional intelligence.
This book provides a roadmap without assuming a one-size-fits-all model. It’s crucial reading for office administrators and physicians alike.”

Michael Jay Brody, MD