Executives with White Coats — The Work and World View of Managed-Care Medical Directors

During the past two decades, a new breed of physician leaders has emerged. These leaders — the medical directors of health plans, medical groups, and independent practice associations (IPAs) — exercise substantial influence over medical practice. Yet little is known about them. By which routes did they come to their jobs? What do they do when they arrive at work each day? What are their beliefs?In this report we describe the career paths of medical directors, classify the types of medical directors, and describe the varieties of work they do. We contrast the views of medical directors with the . . .