At a time when hospital-physician alignment has taken on greater importance, the MD as CEO might seem obvious, but, as with most things in healthcare, it's not that simple.

Balancing short- and long-term plans while preparing for a system that does not yet exist puts leadership to the test.

While spine surgery traditionally has been an area of lucrative income for hospitals, there is growing debate over the necessity of some procedures related to patient need. To balance those concerns, more and more hospitals are offering multifaceted care, with the possibility of surgery if needed, to expand their business operations.