It's no secret that the US health system is in desperate need of repair. Structural inequities such as housing and food insecurity, air and water pollution, and access to educational and economic opportunities — known to the medical community as social determinants have been linked to disparate health outcomes for years. However, never in recent history have we so acutely and rapidly felt their affects as we have during the COVID-19 pandemic. United around the common purpose to improve overall population health, industry leaders must harness their collective power and influence to champion changes that will benefit the health of our nation.
Improving population health hinges on the ability of organizations from diverse sectors to collaborate. In a recent survey conducted by ORC International and Change Healthcare, which included 120 payers across the country who worked with providers to integrate value-based models, nearly a quarter of them reported cost savings as high as 7.5%. Almost 80% of these payer organizations also cited the quality of care improved, while 64% reported better provider relationships, and 73% reported improvements in patient engagement. A Commonwealth Fund analysis demonstrated that value-based models lead to fewer emergency hospital visits and downstream cost efficiencies relative to similar markets.
At TLD Group, we believe that we've arrived at a pivotal moment in time, one that we hope will inspire America to engage in a conversation around how we as individuals and organizations and as a nation can and must do better. Centuries of inequality and racism have culminated into acutely horrific consequences for Black Americans in 2020.
TLD Group hosts the first session in their Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion series led by Dr. Dale Caldwell, an expert on Influence Leadership and his father, Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell, a “Foot Soldier” in the Civil Rights Movement, who knew and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Their presentation connects the Civil Rights Movement to current realities and provides a framework that will help listeners understand the connection between personal influences and diversity, inclusion and equity.
While physicians in some parts of the country are now facing the pandemic head-on, many have started to process what has probably been the most challenging period of their professional careers. Most are still scared, and some are just starting to grieve and feel the emotions of the past months. These emotions can include the struggle with professional identity. Some of us struggled with feeling incompetence; “What did I do? or “How come I couldn’t help more?”. Some of us couldn’t work due to our age or a medical condition that we were forced to disclose.
During this period of disillusionment, we’re trying to figure out how to right the ship with ongoing worries about many things, including the economy, educational needs, and, what the fall and winter are going to look like1. Understanding typical physician characteristics can help guide your teams through the storm.
During unprecedented and tumultuous times there is no such thing as ‘simple'. Crisis Management is complex and difficult. Now more than ever before strong leadership is an essential factor in mobilizing and motivating teams while working remotely, still aiming to achieve the business objectives front line leaders are still ultimately responsible for delivering.
Whether working within a team or leading employees, employees are experiencing disorganization, difficulty concentrating, feelings of overwhelm, increased requests for sick time, and increased absenteeism—all of which are normal responses in a crisis. The relevant management and leadership skills take on a different look and feel under these circumstances. I’ve captured a few leadership actions that I’ve coached others on and have seen used effectively and are proven best practices by many organizations:
Over the past several months communities around the world have seen their healthcare systems pushed to their limits. As the initial shock to our global physical health begins to wane an important second wave of need is becoming more tangible. As physical distancing continues, many are experiencing isolation, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and other mental health impacts that will result in a potentially overwhelming curve of its own.
Today's workplaces are responding to never before seen challenges and scenarios, all while adjusting to a virtual work-from-home environment. It's clear that solving these new challenges will require individuals and teams to think differently than they have in the past, which begs the question..How can leaders and teams establish a culture of virtual innovation?
Helping Medical Professionals During COVID-19
The level of risk in patient care today is higher than most providers ever considered when choosing medicine as a profession. The war metaphors being used in the Covid-19 fight aptly fit the threat doctors are experiencing. To emotionally bolster staff and lessen residual trauma, medical leaders and front line providers can benefit from applying well refined military crisis leadership strategies.
