News & Media
Douglas A. Edema, MD, MPA, FACHE: Developing Powerful Physician Leadership
"Not that I would want to go back to being a third year medical student," Doctor Edema joked.
While not necessarily envious of the grunt work that comes along with becoming licensed to practice, Doctor Edema does have a tinge of jealousy for the medical technology these future doctors will have at their disposal. With medical advancements both big and small seemingly happening every day, Doctor Edema expects the future of medicine to be rooted in physician accountability and leadership.
"Technology will allow us to provide care in a much more sophisticated way," Doctor Edema said. "Some doctors see this as threatening, but I think patients will still need a personal relationship with a care provider, and these care providers will be armed with better technology and better treatment."
One could say that physician leadership is Doctor Edema's area of expertise. As Vice President of Sparrow Medical Group, a facet of Sparrow Health System, one of his primary goals is to garner powerful physician leadership in the region, which in turn will inspire innovative patient care.
Doctor Edema began his career practicing in Michigan, specializing in family medicine as a young physician in Grand Rapids. As care evolved from a strictly physician-based industry toward a more consumer-focused mindset, Doctor Edema quickly realized the growing importance of taking on leadership roles.
Along with retaining his certification as a medical doctor, Doctor Edema added to his impressive list of credentials by earning his Master of Public Administration degree, along with becoming a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
After serving as president and CEO of Mountain States Medical Group in Tennessee between 2010 and 2013, Doctor Edema returned to Michigan to cultivate a governing structure to support Sparrow's expanding range of care. With Sparrow currently servicing nine counties in Michigan, Doctor Edema sought the opportunity to develop physician-led capabilities within the large system.
"The way Sparrow impacts the medical community in Michigan is unique," Doctor Edema said. "Sparrow is a very collaborative organization. We're looking for ways to network and collaborate with other health systems, which is a very forward thinking approach and has had a large impact on the state."
As Sparrow moves forward in expanding care to as many Michigan residents as possible, Doctor Edema believes Sparrow physicians and hospital staff will be at the forefront of this growth.
Through his work in leading administrative positions, Doctor Edema has seen the profound effects a physician-driven health system can have on patients. Though he has been in the business for more than 30 years, Doctor Edema has not become desensitized to the magic that is medicine.
"I'm still in awe that patients come to us in their most vulnerable times and that our work is helping them get to a better health level," Doctor Edema said. "That's our job, and there's no other job like it."
As health care systems and technologies ebb and flow on both the national and state levels, Doctor Edema remains confident in the future of Michigan's physician community. He explains that when asked the classic "would you tell your kids to go into health care?" question by those outside the medical community, he has only one answer.
"In a heartbeat."