Change is inevitable. In nearly every aspect of life and every industry across the board, one will undoubtedly face modifications.
It’s especially true in healthcare. With all the change facing the industry — increasing demands of patients, big question marks when it comes to legislation, new expectations from a quality standpoint — it can sometimes feel like a tightrope walk just trying to survive.
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During a daylong NEJM Catalyst leadership conference earlier this month, two physician leaders discussed how to build responsive organizations in times of change.
“We’ve had a lot of change for a long time in healthcare, and that’s not a bad thing,” said Marc Harrison, president and CEO of Intermountain Healthcare. “The rapidity of change is actually unprecedented at this point in time.”
Indeed, it’s so prevalent that Gary Kaplan, chairman and CEO of Virginia Mason Health System, highlighted two types of change: technical and adaptive.
Technical change, he said, is change in which the solutions are known. An example? The iPhone. If you have a problem with your phone, you can go to the Genius Bar and get help.
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Adaptive change, on the other hand, is not so easily managed. Often associated with a sense of loss, adaptive change involves taking longer to internalize and resolve the problem. Kaplan referenced EHRs as an example of adaptive change, noting that it can be hard to get used to using such technology.
What can healthcare professionals do in response to this fast-paced industry? Kaplan had a few pieces of advice for C-suite execs.
“Our behavior as leaders is the single most important thing that drives culture,” he said. “[W]e have to be responsive to change.” Be willing to challenge the status quo, Kaplan added.
Harrison, however, shared guidance that was a bit more specific.
The first idea for organizations to keep in mind is to be relentless about getting unstuck — and do it fast.
Additionally, leaders must lead from the front and take care of their team. “You always should be the first one on deck and the last one off,” Harrison said, comparing a healthcare leader to the captain of a ship.
Finally, Harrison urged hospitals and healthcare executives to save their greatest intensity for other people, such as patients and fellow caregivers. Instead of focusing on finances, Harrison said leaders should “never let why [they] exist be drowned out by anything else.”
In the dynamic healthcare landscape, change is bound to happen. But as Kaplan and Harrison noted, being willing to embrace it can be the key to thriving.
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