Effective Change Management in Healthcare: Strategies & Challenges

This essay explores the critical role of change management within the healthcare sector, highlighting its increasing importance due to rapid technological advancements and evolving patient expectations. It discusses various change management approaches, including education and communication, participation and involvement, and facilitation and support, drawing from the research of Leonard Schlesinger and John Kotter. The essay also addresses the inherent challenges in implementing change, such as employee resistance and the need to challenge established behaviors. It emphasizes the importance of prioritizing and proactively addressing changes to ensure the sustainability and quality of healthcare services, suggesting that effective change management is essential for healthcare organizations to innovate, adapt to consumerism, and overcome resistance to new practices.

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CHANGE MANAGEMENT IN HEALTH CARE
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When compared to its appearance and mode of operation some few years ago, it is clearly
evident that the healthcare sector has undergone a revolution. For instance, some few years ago
people could walk long distances to access health services but currently, health facilities have
been established almost everywhere. Also, most of the workforce which was done manually has
been mechanized through technology. Unfortunately, most of the health facilities are slowly
retrenching to the olden days because most of the devices installed in the health settings have
spoiled. In others, the staff members have continued to resign. This trend can be linked with the
lack or poor change management approaches.
Change management in Healthcare
Among the major challenges in the current healthcare settings is the management of
changes. This is in consideration of the fact that changes have continuously occurred in the
sector but very few have been sustained (Shanks, 2016). Change management is defined as the
process and technique used to manage changes in an organization or a program to achieve the
desired outcome. Apart from people, the process incorporates organizational tools that can be
used to help people make successful transitions resulting from the adoption and realization of a
change.
Importance of change management in Healthcare
Any industry where literal lives are involved, quality services must be put in place.
Considering that fact, it becomes very hard for quality services to be provided if people stick
with what they have without trying new ideas that place them in a learning curve. Healthcare has
been dealing with this problem for a long time. The demand for Health systems and hospitals has

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kept increasing, but that has not made them immune to the effects of consumerism (Tummers,
Kruyen, Vijverberg & Voesenek, 2015). Currently, patients have more choices than before. It is
through change management that hospitals innovate. Also, it is through change management that
health systems overcome resistance to changes in healthcare settings.
Healthcare change management approaches
Based on scientific research, Leonard Schlesinger and John Kotter described six
approaches to deal with organizational changes. The first approach was the education and
communication approach, which entailed informing workers beforehand so that they can get
involved in the process to prevent the information from misinterpretation. The second approach
is the participation and involvement approach, which entails the full involvement of employees
in all the steps undertaken in the process to minimize resistance (Verhulst & Lambrechts, 2015).
The third approach is facilitation and support, which entails support to the employees who face
challenges as a result of changes. Negotiation is the fourth approach and entails keeping
employees who happen to lose their jobs or negatively affected by the change in a motivated
mood. When the other approaches seem not to work, co-optation and manipulation approach
may be used.
Challenges faced in healthcare change management
Naturally, change management is a complex process because it entails entire evaluation,
planning, and implementation of both tactics and strategies to ensure that the change is relevant.
Although it may be endorsed, employees will always want to understand the reason behind
changes in a healthcare setting and how they will be affected (Wager, Lee & Glaser, 2017). Also,

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to bring about changes in the healthcare sector, the managers must challenge the precedent which
requires perseverance against the norms and habits of established behaviors. The manager must
prioritize matters to focus on changing them rather than reacting or opposing them. What is
important in the change must be clear and proactive responses developed accordingly.

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References
Shanks, N. H. (Ed.). (2016). Introduction to health care management. Jones & Bartlett
Publishers.
Tummers, L., Kruyen, P. M., Vijverberg, D. M., & Voesenek, T. J. (2015). Connecting HRM
and change management: the importance of proactivity and vitality. Journal of
Organizational Change Management, 28(4), 627-640.
Verhulst, E., & Lambrechts, W. (2015). Fostering the incorporation of sustainable development
in higher education. Lessons learned from a change management perspective. Journal of
Cleaner Production, 106, 189-204.
Wager, K. A., Lee, F. W., & Glaser, J. P. (2017). Health care information systems: a practical
approach for health care management. John Wiley & Sons.