ACHE conducts research on a number of healthcare management areas, including factors affecting the career attainments of healthcare executives as well as trends and recommended practices affecting the profession. For example, research on current and future issues that confront hospital CEOs are the subject of surveys, and annual reports on the extent of hospital CEO turnover are routine products provided to the field. We also conduct market research, including focus groups of members and potential members, interviews, and surveys. Links to many of our studies can be found below.

The Prevalence and Impact of Disability Among Healthcare Executives
ACHE, in collaboration with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, sought to determine the extent of disability among ACHE affiliates and the impact of disability on their careers. A four-page fax survey was sent in fall 2005 to a random sample of ACHE affiliates to help answer this question. This supplement to “The Prevalence and Impact of Disability Among Healthcare Executives (PDF),” published in the November/December 2006 issue of Healthcare Executive, shares information about the survey and detailed results.

ACHE Members and Fellows Profile: 2008
This study, conducted annually by ACHE's Division of Research and Development, provides a demographic breakdown of ACHE's membership. It includes such data on areas such as age, gender, race, education, organization type, and healthcare management specialty.

Management Innovations
Each year at the Congress on Healthcare Management, ACHE conducts a Management Innovations Poster Session in which healthcare executives are called upon to present their innovations and ideas for challenges facing their organizations. Click on the above link for a list of all presentations and the presentation abstracts.

A Comparison of the Career Attainments of Men and Women Healthcare Executives
View the Executive Summary or download a PDF of the complete report.
This is the fourth report in a series of research surveys designed to compare the career attainments of men and women healthcare executives. Each report is based on a survey conducted every five years by the American College of Healthcare Executives using samples of its affiliates.

Succession Planning Practices & Outcomes in U.S. Hospital Systems: Final Report, 2006 (PDF)
The study described in this report was conducted to find out how prevalent CEO succession planning is in U.S. hospital systems, and how effective is it perceived to be? The results, compiled from the 783 CEOs who returned useable surveys about best practices in succession planning, are summarized in the final report.

Top Issues Confronting Hospitals: 2007
As the healthcare field continues to change, so do the top issues confronting hospitals. For the sixth year in a row, ACHE's "Top Issues Confronting Hospitals: 2007" survey reveals the issues of greatest concern for hospital CEOs.

The Impact of Hospital CEO Turnover in U.S. Hospitals, 2006 (PDF)
This study on the impact of CEO turnover in hospitals was conducted by the University of Oklahoma. The study was conducted to learn about the impact of hospital CEO turnover through a nationwide survey of 2,118 hospital CEOs, 805 (38 percent) of whom responded. The research describes the CEO's previous experience, an assessment regarding the voluntary or involuntary departure of his or her predecessor and the impact of the departure on the hospital and the community. The study was funded in part by a research award from ACHE.

CEO Succession Planning in Freestanding U.S. Hospitals: Final Report, 2004 (PDF)
This succession-planning study of 722 freestanding hospitals was conducted by Rush University of Chicago and Atlanta-based Tyler & Company. The goal of the study was threefold: 1) assess the extent to which freestanding hospitals in the United States are appropriately planning for these transitions, 2) identify any practice gaps that may need to be addressed, and 3) assist in planning appropriate communications and educational interventions to assist the profession as necessary. The study was funded in part by a research award from ACHE.

CEO/CNO Relationships: Survey Findings (PDF)
In recent years, heightened focus on high-profile issues such as patient safety and the nursing shortage have helped raise awareness of the role of the chief nursing officer. This article, originally published in Healthcare Executive, reports the results of a January 2004, survey of 1,000 CEOs who were members of ACHE and 776 CNOs who were members of AONE. While the survey demonstrated a positive relationship between the CNO, CEO, and other members of the hospital management team, the findings also reveal new opportunities for the field.

Evaluating the Performance of the Hospital CEO: 2003 (Third Edition)
Use the following link to order this publication in hard copy. For more information, call Health Administration Press at (301) 362-6905; order number WWW1-2002, ISBN 1-56793-214-2, $55.
Evaluating the Performance of the Hospital CEO presents the results of a 2001 survey involving chief executives affiliated with ACHE. The findings and recommendations in this monograph can help trustees and corporate officers complete the indispensable task of performing an unbiased evaluation of their hospital CEO. Case studies feature interviews with CEOs of both rural and urban, government and private (including, not-for-profit and investor-owned) hospitals and healthcare systems.

Hospital CEO Turnover
This study documents the percentage of CEO turnover in hospitals across the U.S., from 1981 to 2006. It also includes turnover percentages by state for 2006.

A Race/Ethnic Comparison of Career Attainments in Healthcare Management: 2002
Click the following links for the Executive Summary; complete study text; and recommendations (PDF format).
ACHE, along with other leading healthcare associations, undertook studies in 1992 and 1997 to compare the career attainments of healthcare executives in various race/ethnic groups. The central objective of this third cross-sectional study is to determine if the race/ethnic disparities in healthcare management careers have narrowed since 1997 based on a similar pool of respondents. In planning this study, leaders of ACHE, Association of Hispanic Healthcare Executives, Institute for Diversity in Health Management, and National Association of Health Services Executives invited the collaboration of the Executive Leadership Development Program of the Indian Health Service so that the career attainments of Native American executives could also be assessed. In response to continuing racial/ethnic inequities demonstrated by this study, the Board of Governors of the American College of Healthcare Executives recommended several initiatives to address inequities.

Contracts for Healthcare Executives: 2002 (Fourth edition)
Use the following links to order this publication in hard copy or an immediately downloadable e-book format. For more information, call Health Administration Press at (301) 362-6905; Order number CS23-1151, ISBN 1-56793-181-2, $50.
Executive employment contracts are essential in today's turbulent healthcare environment. They empower leaders to take risks and confront politically sensitive issues. In this handy guide, experts provide insight on the trends in employment contracts and the process of contract negotiation. This book also includes sample contracts that can be adapted for your use.

Rekindling the Flame:
Achieving Success Through Community Leadership
Click the link above for more information and a FREE, downloadable version of the casebook.
ACHE and the American Hospital Association have collaborated on a project to demonstrate how hospitals can further their goals by developing close relationships with community partners. Available resources include a discussion video, a how-to guide, and the free book of case studies.

White Papers

Closing the Gender Gap in Healthcare Management (PDF)

What CEOs Can Do to Improve Their Organization’s Race/Ethnic Diversity (PDF)

A Comparison of the Career Attainments of Men and Women Healthcare Executives (PDF)

Building Diversity Competence: Ideas for Your Healthcare Organization (PDF)

The Paradox of Hospital CEO Succession Planning (PDF)

If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, please visit the Adobe Web site to download a free copy.