Over the last 3 years, remaining optimistic has been a challenge for many of us. Optimism has served me well throughout life, but it’s not sufficient to deal with some of the stark realities we face. Perhaps the greatest challenge today is with our workforce. All industries are impacted by[…]
Speaking Truth to Power
The concept of “speaking truth to power” likely originated as grunts, growls, and other utterances long ago before the development of speech. Regardless of the form it takes, speaking truth to power -whether they are parents, partners, persons above you in your organization, peers, personnel, patients, or providers – should[…]
AI and AI – Use Them Responsibly
Controversy swirls around the use of the term AI which, like so many other popular terms, does not have a universally accepted definition. A Google search for “healthcare AI” yields 163 million results. Even users of AI have different views on what the “A” in AI means – artificial intelligence[…]
Ring Theory – A Framework for Helping Others
Scouting provides some great life lessons. You learn simple but important life lessons as part of Girl and Boy Scout traditions and training. “Do a good turn daily.” As a young scout, I took an oath, “On my honor… I will do my best to do my duty… To help[…]
Polite Provocateur with a Purpose
My business card displays “Principal” as my title, which is accurate from a formal perspective. I’d prefer, however, to use Provocateur but dare not because the term has too many pejorative synonyms. Sadly, the explanation of what I mean by that just won’t fit on such a small form factor.[…]
Health Literacy for Health Equity – Both Should Be Essential Elements of Every Provider’s Mission
What if I told you that I have access to a wonder drug that could reduce hospitalizations by 32%, eliminate 14% of visits to the emergency room, lower overall healthcare costs by 11%, and more surprisingly, do so without any observable side effects? Those results are not associated with a[…]
Mental Health Month 2022 – A Personal Perspective on Suicide
This started as a blog but has turned into a very long story – my story. The topic of suicide is simply more complex than can be shared in a brief blog. This story is personal and contains insights based on my experiences starting at age 10 about people who[…]
Dealing with Burnout
Understandably, we hear the word burnout used more and more frequently. Increasing workplace pressure to be more productive, COVID which included death and confinement in home, masks, political divisiveness, the war in Ukraine, inflation, and the lack of available talent to fill jobs at every level are contributing to an[…]
Talent Shortage? Great Resignation? Interim Leaders Can Help
Healthcare is facing a talent shortage at all levels. Provider organizations are recruiting talent nationally and open to new models including all virtual or hybrid work out of necessity. When a senior IT leader retires or moves to a new organization, it creates a critical leadership gap. Many organizations have[…]
Constructive Indignation and Creative Insecurity – Key Elements to Progress
Real success and ongoing progress require a mix of constructive indignation and creative insecurity. It’s more than metrics. It’s how you approach metrics – what’s part of your heart goals, not just what’s part of your SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely). As an adjunct professor in Baylor’s Hankamer[…]