We've all likely heard the phrase “the only constant is change.” I can't think of a better way to describe the rapidly shifting dynamics and market forces reshaping the healthcare industry.
As care shifts from beyond the four walls of their organizations, leaders and clinicians are challenged to provide a different experience—one that ensures better care coordination that is cost-effective and high quality. This is requiring healthcare leaders to seek out new and innovative ways to address the hurdles they face.
Today in healthcare, more and more we recognize the need to remove optionality and reduce variance to improve quality and deliver better results.
Deploying systematic processes or applying a performance-improvement framework, like competing for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, can help improve organizational effectiveness and increase value and outcomes.
In fact, the Studer Group follows the same processes we deploy in the healthcare organizations we coach, which led to our Baldrige Award in 2010.
We found that engagement is a key factor in this journey. The actions people take—our employees, our physicians and our patients—will ultimately determine success in the long term.
That's why it's so important to engage each of these important stakeholders in ways that truly address the things that drive them, such as connecting to their purpose, so they will continue to perform worthwhile work and make a difference in the lives of the patients they serve.
Whether a company is on a high-reliability journey, deploying change management tactics or simply trying to sustain its current business model, we know one thing hasn't changed—the passion and dedication to make a difference in healthcare. That's one of the main reasons the 150 employers cited on the following pages are being recognized as the Best Places to Work in Healthcare.
It's the people of healthcare who selflessly work every day, dedicating their lives to improving the lives of others. While none of us knows what the future holds in terms of regulations and protocols, we all got into healthcare to help people. It's the unifying force that binds us together and propels us forward every day. Thank you for the incredible work you do.
