Healthcare transformation requires physician leaders to become 'chief meaning officers'

In order to transform healthcare, physician leaders must assume the role of "chief meaning officers," write two industry leaders.

Healthcare needs a new generation of physician leaders who can help create a vision of the future, write Stephen K. Klasko, M.D., president and CEO of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health in Philadelphia, and Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric and executive chairman of the Jack Welch Management Institute, in a commentary published in Hospitals & Health Networks.

These leaders must help all employees understand what the future can look like, but to do so, it means they must paint that picture for themselves first. They recommend physician leaders consider the following exercise:

Imagine the future. Describe on paper how you would like to see healthcare delivered in 2030--a delivery model that delivers on the promise of wellness and prevention.

Be realistic about the obstacles. List everything you can think of that's preventing that ideal healthcare environment today.

Determine what you can do to bring change this year. On this final piece of paper, list what you can do this year to get closer to your goal of the ideal healthcare environment.

Draw on examples of transformation from outside healthcare and build trust. Leaders who bring about successful change in their organizations must seek and tell the truth, according to the commentary.

To learn more:
- read the commentary