The Leadership Style of “The People’s Doctor”

A Contemporary Look Back at New York State Commissioner of Health David Axelrod, MD

Bibliographic Data

ID11032475
AuthorsZainab Magdon-Ismail (0000-0003-1025-0540, Zainab Magdon-Ismail, Barry R. Sherman, and Herbert Fillmore are with the School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer. Zainab Magdon-Ismail is also with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, Founders Affiliate, Albany, NY. Herbert Fillmore is also with Health Information Systems, Silver Spring, MD. Jeffrey Straussman is with the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany.), Barry R Sherman (Zainab Magdon-Ismail, Barry R. Sherman, and Herbert Fillmore are with the School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer. Zainab Magdon-Ismail is also with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, Founders Affiliate, Albany, NY. Herbert Fillmore is also with Health Information Systems, Silver Spring, MD. Jeffrey Straussman is with the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany.), Herbert Fillmore (Zainab Magdon-Ismail, Barry R. Sherman, and Herbert Fillmore are with the School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer. Zainab Magdon-Ismail is also with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, Founders Affiliate, Albany, NY. Herbert Fillmore is also with Health Information Systems, Silver Spring, MD. Jeffrey Straussman is with the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany.), Herbert H Fillmore (American Public Health Association), Jeffrey D Straussman (0000-0002-7832-5417, American Public Health Association), Jeffrey Straussman (Zainab Magdon-Ismail, Barry R. Sherman, and Herbert Fillmore are with the School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer. Zainab Magdon-Ismail is also with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, Founders Affiliate, Albany, NY. Herbert Fillmore is also with Health Information Systems, Silver Spring, MD. Jeffrey Straussman is with the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany.)
Year2019
Volume109
Issue1
Pages85-91
Publication date2019-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2018.304710
PMID32941761
OpenAlexW2904686201
LanguageEN
References cited13

David Axelrod, MD, New York State’s commissioner of health from 1979 to 1991, had a panoramic view of public health and a legendary track record of tackling complex issues ranging from the Love Canal environmental disaster to HIV/AIDS and end-of-life ethics. Many raved about Axelrod’s leadership, whereas others criticized his response and style. Two decades later, we describe his leadership attributes. Our retrospective review incorporates interviews with former staff and coworkers and information from historical archives. Axelrod’s leadership style mirrored that of business leaders, goal driven and focused on execution, as opposed to the typical style of public health leaders, more sympathetic to needs of the team. He framed his mission within the context of social justice and data-driven science. His story, one in which leadership inspired passion and loyalty to science, is driven by a laser-sharp focus on the public good. In today’s resource-deprived, politically charged environment, Axelrod’s methods for achieving positive community health outcomes warrant close scrutiny. (Am J Public Health. 2019;109:85–91. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2018.304710 )

Context (archaeology) · Leadership style · Passion · Political science · Public health · Public relations · Scrutiny · Sociology · State (computer science) · Style (visual arts) · Ethics in Clinical Research · Healthcare cost, quality, practices · History · Law · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Public Health Policies and Education · Social Psychology

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