Background:
Healthcare systems are presently under enormous strain at both local and global scales – demography and chronic diseases, low economics and poor standard of care, access inequity, excessive variation and errors, waste and unexpected crises as climate, pandemics and wars— all setting the case for unmatched complexity. At the same time, the bars of exigence for innovation, quality and consumer demands at controlled prices are placed as high as never before. Moreover, changes are fast, and responses will need anticipation to be swift and resilient. This scenario will not change; therefore, answers must be found through thoughtful health and social policies combined with professional management and governance. All demanding pristine leadership.
In this session:
We will address the role of governing strategies together with leadership to ensure health system’s performance and sustainability. Traditionally we use to define leadership profiles but now, facing permanent change and calls for swift actions, having in view the future, we must rather focus on leadership roles and competencies around four key topics:
1. Innovation and Adaptability
As the complexity of healthcare is accelerating, leaders must both understand, and have opportunities to demonstrate innovation amidst dynamic, variable, and demanding environments. Innovation, adaptability and flexibility are paramount tools to surf fast change and to fight inertia and transformation changes within healthcare systems.
2. Collaboration and Communication
Leaders need to strengthen communication and collaboration at varying levels: environmental, team, and organizational, to enable more efficient and better-quality healthcare delivery. They
should foster a collaborative, open and responsible culture within the health systems, at the same time promoting humanity, proximity and humility.
3. Self-Development and Awareness
Personal leadership development must go beyond formal curriculum requirements to incorporate every-day learning inputs and align with self-regulation, self-discipline, boundary-setting, and managing disruptions, particularly in the digital age. This will need a permanent situation and self-awareness.
4. Consumer and Community focus
Leaders have traditionally focused on their organization, but, more and more, health care consumers and the public are getting involved in care, particularly during health crises. Therefore, leadership needs to develop roles and competencies for consumer engagement and advocacy.
Coordination:
José Fragata