title: The paradox of legitimacy: physician executives and the practice of medicine.
abstract: This study looks at the legitimation of medical management and its effect on the likelihood of physician executives practicing medicine. The findings of a national survey show that several individual-level characteristics associated with legitimation such as working in senior management positions and for-profit organizations lower the probability that a physician executive will also be an active clinician. In addition, physician executives possessing graduate management degrees are more likely not to practice medicine than individuals without a degree. These results suggest that the specialty of medical management should pay greater attention to its unique qualities as it legitimizes if it is to be of long-term value to health care organizations and rank-and-file physicians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy, Management, and Behavior, University at Albany, SUNY, Rensselaer, USA.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Hoff
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008511:Medicine; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D008486:Physician Executives; D010819:Physician's Role; D011364:Professional Practice; D013038:Specialization; D014481:United States