Leadership

By Michael J. Zappa

The human body is the most brilliant machine ever created and the quintessential work of art.  The headline above is not referring to your creativity and accomplishments in your clothing optional private abode; it is taking literary license from 19^th century Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen.

Reflect on the fairy tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes.  The Emperor (leader) was a vain man, concerned more with appearances, accolades, and maintaining his current position than the harsh realities that others faced.  His subjects were afraid to express their honest opinions to him, fearing they might be deemed unfit for their position or even stupid.  The climax of this tale occurs when he is fooled by some weavers into wearing a “spectacular new suit” that, in fact, doesn’t exist at all.  The Emperor is allowed to parade through the town naked.  Finally, a mere child blurts out in honesty that the Emperor is wearing nothing at all.

Leaders at all levels of an organization run the risk of being caught naked at work, but this risk increases as one ascends the ranks.  People see pleasing their boss as important, essential to keeping their jobs.  Most leaders would proclaim they are wise enough to detect blatant deception, but it is often more subtle than that.  Very often what happens is filtering; direct reports present the info that makes them look good and their boss is expecting.  This filtering of information is equivalent to a slight degree of course variation which becomes obvious 100 miles or more into the journey. 

[Read more…] about Working Naked

By Abhinav Shashank

One of my old friends, albeit in good health, had a stressful job and odd working hours, which resulted in poor eating habits and work-life balance. His PCP suggested that he consult a psychologist and nutritionist, as well as also prescribed a thyroid stimulating hormone test to check his thyroid function. However, it took him almost three weeks to get an appointment with both of these specialists. After talking to my friend, these providers suggested some lifestyle changes and a couple of therapies. He again booked an appointment with his PCP with updates from both the psychologist and the nutritionist.

However, the treatment was delayed by at least a month.

What are the underlying patterns?

For every 100 physicians in the US, 32 are PCPs. However, for every 100 patients in the US, 52 patients visit a PCP each month. Add to that the lack of streamlined communication channels between primary care providers and specialists which often results in gaps in care.

According to an estimate, up to 27% of ED visits may be avoidable, a number that clearly depicts the lack of care coordination and inadequate access to care facilities at the right time.

Do they really have the time?

[Read more…] about Why Are Healthcare Leaders Taking Note of the PCMH Care Model?

By Suzanne Williams

Another day, another deal in the health and life sciences industries. Healthcare mergers and acquisitions have been a major headline in recent years, occurring at a record pace and changing the face of the industry.

The number of M&A deals in 2018 significantly exceeded those in 2017 with the majority of these deals occurring in the U.S. Early predictions – made even before deals were announced by major pharmaceutical players Eli Lilly and Bristol-Myers Squibb – are that the increase in M&As shows no sign of abating in 2019. 

Unlike in other industries, where M&A often just creates bigger companies, healthcare M&As typically are different. These deals often are intended to drive transformation through new business models.  Unusual pairings force the innovation and collaboration that creates groundbreaking discoveries, products and services.  

[Read more…] about Lean Early and Hard into Corporate Culture for M&A Success

By Dr. Krystal White 

When previous colleagues or interested clients ask me why I wrote a book on self-awareness in love instead of leadership development (my chosen profession), my “old brain” automatic reaction is to cringe internally, logically defend externally, and deflate spiritually. In conscious response, I reply that I wrote it in order to raise more attention to matters of the heart.

Somehow, even though organizations can talk a lot about love or give family-work balance lip service, many of us feel exposed if we reveal our truths about how we let work interfere with our personal relationships, or how we let our home life take priority over our professional functioning. We sometimes tout how one enhances the other (especially in leadership speeches or at special occasions or times of the year) but rarely does the domain of the “person” genuinely come into focus during the day. 

Leaders who say, “that’s not my business!” are missing out on a critical moderating factor not only to their “bottom line” but to the tipping point of workforce engagement. Understanding why you love the way you love, reveals a few fundamental insights high-performing thought leaders can leverage. 

[Read more…] about Love is an Act of Leadership

By Shaleta Dunn

The current environment is one of tremendous opportunity for women in the healthcare industry. New technology is shaking up the playing field, opening up opportunities that did not previously exist. Women-owned firms are making huge progress by embracing new technology and addressing previously unmet needs in fields like patient experience, telemedicine and consulting.

In 2016, about a third of all US businesses were owned by women, but only 10 percent of med-tech startups were founded by women. The vast difference can be attributed to a lack of access to capital, generally lower numbers of women in technology and a lack of mentors and sponsors to help them launch a startup company. 

Additionally, the significant scale required to make an impact in the healthcare space will always be a tremendous barrier for any entrepreneurs to enter the market place. However there are many things that women-led firms can do to help them succeed.

[Read more…] about Can the Future Be Female in Healthcare?