Becker's Hospital Review

25 WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP tective equipment, patient testing and cohorting, patient visitation, and the approach to team member COVID-19 exposures. Our clinical advisory com- mittee collaborated with several other committees to ensure the best care was delivered to all our pa- tients. We participated in load-balancing initiatives where we transferred patients throughout the sys- tem to avoid any one hospital being overwhelmed, in addition to moving around medications, ventila- tors, vital equipment and team members. Our team members were key to making our success happen. I am so proud of Northwell, all our heroes, and my contribution in our response to this pandemic. Another great career success is mentoring and in- spiring others, especially other women. Over the past 10 years, our organization has been on a jour- ney to formalize our approach to diversity, inclusion and health equity. We know that women currently make up about 50 percent of medical school classes, yet we know that at the senior level the percentages for women are much lower. Change is in the air. Di- versity, inclusion and health equity are so important to me. One of my goals is to recruit, retain and en- gage diverse faculty, physicians and team members so that our organization better reflects the commu- nities we serve. Having the opportunity to coach, educate and guide the next generation of physicians and team members is such a privilege. It is empow- ering when I see them succeed and become leaders. Q: What leadership skills have you sharp- ened during the pandemic? AS: During times of uncertainty, like a pandemic, many skills are needed. I have definitely sharpened/ strengthened my skills in team-building, commu- nication and decision-making during this crisis. Rapid change during this pandemic created anxiety and uncertainty. e speed of making decisions and communicating in an urgent, clear and transparent way was needed, although it created an extraordi- nary challenge. e risks of delaying decision-mak- ing and wasting vital time during a crisis can be dangerous and may lead to even greater devastation. During the first COVID-19 surge, we were making important decisions by the hour. We were creating and implementing guidelines and policies on a dai- ly basis. We built teams of subject matter advisers and team members who were engaged and offered diverse opinions to guide us on important decisions. Communicating with transparency meant provid- ing honest and accurate information of our situation and being as clear and concise as humanly possible about what we knew, what we anticipated and what it meant for us in our health system. It was import- ant to communicate frequently and constantly as new information came to light. Other important skills that were strengthened during this crisis were the ability to be flexible and innova- tive. We needed to think differently and deliver care in ways that had never been done before. n Physician viewpoint: We need to work on gender equity in cardiology By Erica Carbajal W hile progress has been made to address the sex inequities that exist within the field of cardiology, there's still a long path ahead, according to Michelle O'Donoghue, MD. Dr. O'Donoghue, a cardiologist at Boston-based Brigham and Wom- en's Hospital, spoke on the stark discrepancies female cardiologists still face, and that she's personally experienced, in an Oct. 26 com- mentary piece published in Medscape. "Almost every time I walk into a patient's room with a group of house staff and am accompanied by a younger male colleague, the typical assumption is that the male physician is the attending physician," said Dr. O'Donoghue. "I know that many women share that experience." A starting point to improve these types of assumptions: more female representation on conference panels and advisory boards, according to Dr. O'Donoghue. "I think it's all too common that the same invita- tion list gets circulated over the course of several years," she said. "We need to work on change, and that is promoting gender diversity, racial diversity, and making sure that the careers of our younger col- leagues are being promoted as well," Dr. O'Donoghue said. n Female PAs were paid $9,010 less than male peers, research shows By Kelly Gooch A gender wage gap among physician assistants continues to persist, with female PAs earning $9,010 less than their male counterparts in 2018, according to a study published in the November 2020 edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. The research is based on data from the AAPA salary survey con- ducted in February 2019 examining salary for 2018. For the study, survey responses were included from more than 8,300 nonre- tired, U.S.-based physician assistants. After accounting for various compensation-related factors, includ- ing specialty, hours worked and leadership role, women earned $113,403.59 in 2018 compared to men, who earned $122,413.17, according to the study, a difference of $9,010. Among new PAs, female PAs were paid nearly 93 cents for every dol- lar male PAs earned in 2018, and the pay gap widened by $201 annu- ally for each year of experience, the study found. "A wage gap between male and female PAs persists even after including all compensation types and controlling for compensa- tion-related factors that may differ between male and female PAs," researchers concluded. "Proposed policy implications could begin to mitigate the gap." n

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