The future of organizational sustainability in healthcare requires skilled leaders to plan for any potential problems

Healthcare is a big topic which presents even bigger challenges for healthcare leaders. As more people strive to live longer, healthier and more active lifestyles, healthcare concerns increase and so do the costs.

In the last two or three years there has been much debate about how best to implement affordable healthcare coverage for thousands of uninsured Filipinos through the Universal Healthcare system. Even as the debate continues, today’s leaders are hard pressed to find solutions to multiple complex issues which impacts the ability to successfully implement cost-effective programs; maintain efficient operations and services, staff and trained employees and support other healthcare initiatives.

The future of organizational sustainability in healthcare requires skilled leaders to plan for any potential problems. Over the next five to ten years, healthcare leaders should expect to encounter a plethora of challenges including regulatory and policy changes, medicinal and technological advancements, funding, education and training and ethical issues. Leaders must realize a combination of these challenges could quickly consume time and money for medical and administrative research, facility upkeep, equipment overhaul and operational training. Technological advancements will present additional challenges with programming, control and support issues. Indoctrination of new systems requires leaders to educate themselves, their staff and the vulnerable public on the use of new systems, processes and programs.

Regulatory challenges drive up the cost of providing services and care. To combat these challenges, the healthcare provider needs to actively engage in awareness and information sharing regularly.

Professional development is the key. Healthcare leaders must take steps to assess, develop and fine-tune key personal and professional skills to remain proficient. Most training initiatives remain centered around traditional clinical interview with its focus on illness, its diagnosis and treatment, advancement in technology and drugs. While some have responded to new, more aggressive patient demands, many healthcare providers who have not done so will be challenged to change that dynamic.

Healthcare leaders will have to take more of a total patient-centered approach, involve patients more in their own care and make themselves and staff able to communicate with patients better.

Ethical challenges in healthcare is a big deal. Many news stories support this claim about ethical violations of healthcare providers. Reports have been made public through traditional and social media about a variety of questionable ethical practices in some quarters of the healthcare industry, both government and private organizations. Needless to say, healthcare leaders must ensure their behavior and their employees are above reproach.

Healthcare managers must be able to provide direction and guidance to organizations about roles, responsibilities and functions. The leader must devise and revise strategies everyone can understand and follow. Decisions made by healthcare managers not only focus on ensuring that the patient receives the most appropriate, timely and effective services possible, but also address compliance with desired performance targets. Ultimately, decisions made by an individual manager affect the organization’s overall performance and reputation.

With so many changes on the horizon, healthcare leaders must continue to engage in new research. They also need to develop and assess issues to create the best approach and delivery system that meets the needs of their patients and staff. No one approach works best always, therefore, leaders must routinely explore models and methodologies to help them tackle challenges. There is more to the practice of medicine today than just diagnosing and treating disease or illness. Healthcare leaders and practitioners must continuously engage in building partnerships with other leaders, in self-development, in recruiting and implementing continuous training programs for staff and in promoting information awareness for everyone involved.

Wishing for a happy new year, good health, better and greater access to care for all Filipinos in 2020!