MHA-FPX5040_ValentinMaida_Assessment1-2
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Health Science
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Feb 20, 2024
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Healthcare leader interview
Maida Valentin
Capella University
MHA-FPX5040-HealthAdmin Change Leadership
Dr. Shad Smith
1/19/2024
Interview Synopsis with Dr. Leana Wen
I got to interview Dr. Leana Wen, a very influential public health expert from George Washington University and former Baltimore City’s Health Commissioner. Our conversation was about how the healthcare organization she has been associated with (as the Commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department and the President of Planned Parenthood) changes and the effect various theories about leading changes have in decision-making.
Organization’s Purpose and Change
Dr. Leana Wen, a distinguished public health professor at George Washington University and former health commissioner for Baltimore City, provided a comprehensive insight into the organization’s purpose and the ongoing changes it is undergoing. As the Baltimore City Health Department Commissioner and the President of Planned Parenthood, Dr. Wen underscored the organization’s primary objective: to enhance community health outcomes through accessible and high-quality healthcare services.
Given the evolving nature of the healthcare landscape, the organization is quite responsive to diverse factors encompassing organizational and global demands. At the core of these initiatives is an unwavering determination to eradicate health disparities widely prevalent within the community. This commitment has fuelled the organization to embrace a community-
centric approach, where the strategies outlined will be in harmony with social determinants of health (
Teisberg et al., 2020)
. This strategic change encompasses a comprehensive understanding of the broader factors that shape health beyond medication alone.
In addition, Dr. Wen pointed out that the organization is very proactive in its mission to increase its services as the community’s needs change. This is not just a quantitative increase but also a qualitative one, showing an effort to promote the overall health and welfare of people in
this community (
Weiss et al., 2023)
. Under the guidance of Dr. Wen, Orchestra leadership realizes that it is essential that healthcare interaction dynamics change accordingly to stay relevant and practical toward achieving the overarching purpose upon which these organizations are established. Under Dr. Wen’s management, the organization is traversing a transformational path in line with shifting to meet the many-faceted needs of community members.
Drivers of Change
In her elegant dialogue, Dr. Leana Wen outlined major forces influencing an ongoing transformation in the healthcare institution she heads. Such drivers outline a dynamic interplay of different elements reflecting the organization’s response to an ever-changing healthcare landscape. One of the significant forces that can be noted to influence the organization is shifting demographics. The healthcare needs and preferences transform as communities change population structures. Dr. Wen emphasized how the organization wants to understand and comply with these demographic shifts so that healthcare services remain pertinent and accessible for all members of society.
Another critical force of change is the emergence of emerging health challenges. Given the continuity of evolving diseases, changing patterns of illness, and emerging health threats from time to time, the organization is forced again to reassess itself as well as wonder if need be in what way it can reconfigure its strategies. Dr. Wen highlighted the need for proactive solutions to tackle these challenges and said that the organization should always be at the cutting edge of delivering timely healthcare interventions effective enough to prevent or alleviate illnesses in patients.
Medical progress is one of the forces that lead this organization to innovation. As the frontier of medical knowledge grows, healthcare practices must be continually adapted (
Weiss et
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al., 2023)
. Dr. Wen emphasized how the organization integrated its commitment to incorporating the latest evidence-based practices, converting an environment of continuous improvement and ensuring that healthcare delivery lives up to the advancements in this field.
Besides, Dr. Wen highlighted the role of political and social movements in shaping healthcare policies. Such external factors require the organization’s ability to respond and adjust to rapidly changing regulatory environments. The point where politics and healthcare policies meet is a fertile ground that requires both strategic foresight and flexibility to ensure the organization continues being compliant with government requirements while meeting community expectations.
Relationship Between Purpose and Change
Dr. Leana Wen underscored a crucial aspect of the organization’s ethos by emphasizing the intrinsic alignment between the identified drivers of change and its overarching purpose of improving community health. In establishing this connection, Dr. Wen pointed out how the organization does not view these drivers as distractions but as sources of impetus for improvement and development. The identified drivers of change, such as the changing nature of societies’ ethnic distribution and health crises, are looked at from a perspective that recognizes their implicit connection to their organization’s primary reason for being (
Lu et al., 2022)
. Dr. Wen pointed out that these drivers are not contradictory forces but parts of an integrated whole. They present opportunities for the organization to be even more effective in impacting and fulfilling its mission.
The idea is to foster overall community welfare by targeting new health challenges, such as the ones presented due to changing demographics and emerging threats to people’s well-being. Dr. Wen elaborated on the company’s strategic vision, focusing on these challenges as barriers to
overcome and the rationale for innovating and enhancing healthcare delivery mechanisms (
Weiss et al., 2023)
. By positioning responses to these challenges following the central purpose of enhancing community health, the organization becomes a positive and proactive change agency.
Moreover, the impact of political and social movements is considered an external force that may shape healthcare policies. According to Dr Wen, attending to these changes is not simply an issue of obedience but a chance to advocate for policies that enhance the community. The reason behind the existence of an organization is not constant either; it develops concurrently with a dynamic environment, and these ambient factors are essential in determining concepts that always become adaptable yet pertinent.
Effectiveness of Traditional Leadership Models
Dr. Leana Wen shed light on the organization’s approach to change leadership by emphasizing the predominant application of Kurt Lewin’s change theory and Kotter’s Eight-
Stage Process for Successful Organizational Transformation. According to Dr. Wen, these models have been deliberately chosen for their proven effectiveness in providing a structured and systematic approach to change management within the healthcare context.
Kurt Lewin’s Change theory uses the unfreezing- change -and refreeze model as a structured system guiding one throughout understanding and implementing organizational changes. Dr Wen observed that this model gives a relatively straightforward and linear setup whereby the organization could prepare itself for change by unfreezing existing norms, implementing them, and then freezing them in place (
Lu et al., 2022)
. Consequently, the structured approach is relevant in health care because patience and precision are vital to ensure that any changes do not adversely affect patients or damage public welfare.
Similarly, the organization implements Kotter’s Eight-Stage Process for Successful Organizational Transformation, which highlights urgency creation, an effective guiding coalition, and institutionalizing change in the everyday running of a business. Dr. Wen commented that this model was a great tool serving as an effective and reliable source of information for creating a plan to proceed through the inner workings of healthcare reforms. The different stages are progressively arranged in sequence so that the organization is adequately prepared for challenges related to the change process. However, Dr Wen recognized the value of appropriateness and adaptability in applying these schemas to deal with issues specific to healthcare practitioners (
Teisberg et al., 2020)
. The organization understands that strict adherence to these models cannot always be suitable, and adjustments have become necessary to adapt to the peculiarities of healthcare delivery.
Synthesis of Change Leadership Strategy
Dr. Leana Wen provided valuable insights into synthesizing the organization’s change leadership strategy, highlighting a harmonious blend of elements from Kurt Lewin’s change theory and John Kotter’s Eight-Stage Process for Successful Organizational Transformation. This strategic synthesis aims to address the intricacies of healthcare transformation in a patient-centric and purpose-driven way. The best change leadership framework begins with creating urgency using Kotter’s model. Dr. Wen highlighted the need to reform an overall sense of collective consciousness that supports change on all organizational levels. This involves telling how those changes are essential, what problems affect this community, and supporting speeches about the organization’s work on making all members healthier (
Lu et al., 2022)
.
Creating a guiding coalition is critical to Kotter’s model of change leadership strategy in the organization. Dr. Wen discussed most about a consolidated and effective team that can
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transport the organization through variable change levels. This coalition consists of various players in the healthcare sector, which provides multidisciplinary and collective efforts to solve problems by introducing transformative models. More importantly, the synthesis entails building a culture of innovation and adaptability by utilizing Lewin’s and Kotter’s models. Dr. Wen emphasized the importance of developing an evolving organizational culture where creativity, continuous improvement, and adaptability are fostered while adapting to changing healthcare dynamics. This cultural change fits its mission because it values innovation and flexibility in offering society high-quality, timely healthcare services.
Monitoring Community Wellness and Anticipating Needs
Leana Wen noted that the healthcare organization successfully monitors community welfare and predicts future needs to ensure better engagement of communities in improving their health status. The organization uses a multi-dimensional method for community wellness surveillance by implementing several relevant health indicators and anticipated results. Dr. Wen underscored the importance of data collection, including surveys, community health assessments, and strategic partnerships with local health agencies. These programs enable the organization to collect wide-ranging and current information regarding community health status.
Proactive actions aim to detect the projected needs of community members and correspond with an organization that focuses on resolving health disparities. Dr. Wen emphasized the organization’s commitment to a community-oriented approach, which incorporated social determinants of health into its approaches (
Lu et al., 2022)
. However, by identifying the socioeconomic and environmental variables that impact the health conditions of individuals in different ways, they can predict and customize their service offerings to meet emerging needs within a community.
Dr. Wen’s response showed a subtle and insightful appreciation of how the organization partners with this community to promote better population health outcomes. The attention to data-oriented methodologies, community collaborations, and a broad perspective on health determinants indicates the organization’s willingness to respond effectively to the current need for care and be proactive with regard.
Outcomes
Dr. Leana Wen emphasized the anticipated outcomes stemming from the healthcare organization’s transformative efforts. One of the most expected outcomes is a significant improvement in community health, which indicates the willingness of this organization to practice effective and preventive healthcare. This improvement can only be achieved through specific efforts to cope with changes in demographics, emerging health problems, and advances made in medical science (
Lu et al., 2022)
. Dr. Wen highlighted the need for interventions targeted at marginalized populations, focusing on reducing current disparities in healthcare access. This commitment extends to recognizing and addressing social determinants of health as critical components in achieving the goal of health equity.
Community involvement becomes vital, reflecting the organization’s idea of fair and equal decision. Dr. Wen emphasized the importance of collaboration as he underlined that community members should actively contribute to defining healthcare initiatives in their communities or residences. With a recognition of progress, Dr. Wen insisted on continuous assessment. This cyclic evaluation process is essential to the organization for testing accurate results and making changes based on ‘knowledge tools’ in order not only to reaffirm its pledge but also to best community health.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Dr. Leana Wen shared essential insights into how the healthcare organization he is affiliated with deals with change processes. The motivations and usefulness of change leadership theories are so prominent in connection with one's better approximation both in the changing landscape of healthcare and community requirements. This interview has shown that a change leadership approach to healthcare organizations should be flexible and purpose-
driven.
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References
Lu, L., Ko, Y. M., Chen, H. Y., Chueh, J. W., Chen, P. Y., & Cooper, C. L. (2022). Patient safety and staff well-being: Organizational culture as a resource.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
,
19
(6), 3722.
Teisberg, E., Wallace, S., & O’Hara, S. (2020). Defining and implementing value-based health care: a strategic framework.
Academic Medicine
,
95
(5), 682.
Weiss, D., Tilin, F., & Morgan, M. J. (2023).
The interprofessional health care team: Leadership and development
. Jones & Bartlett Learning.