Literature Review of change management in healthcare industry or Hospital system

Literature Review: Change Management in the Healthcare Industry Student’s Name Institution Course Number and Name Instructor’s Name Date Literature Review: Change Management in the Healthcare Industry Change is a necessary process, particularly in the healthcare industry where the improvement of systems of patient care is a priority. The rapid advancement of technology calls for the healthcare industry to implement the latest technologies that have been proven to improve key aspects of the healthcare system, including patient care, emergency room procedures, interdisciplinary collaboration, and clinical research. The biggest change I have been part of was the transition from paper medical records to electronic healthcare records (EHRs). As a Coordinator of Health Information Systems at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, I played a key role in helping the organization transition to EHRs, which was integral in improving care coordination by healthcare professionals as well as healthcare access by patients. The implementation of EHRs is one of the biggest changes that has characterized the US healthcare industry in the recent past. Research by Aguirre et al. (2019) sought to examine the aspects surrounding the implementation of an EHR system at a 260-bed hospital. The authors highlight key strategies that support the implementation of a new system in healthcare, including consideration of implementation cost, testing of the system, identifying risks, as well as having a recovery plan (Aguirre et al., 2019). The authors put emphasis on the training of users, which should be done throughout the implementation period (Aguirre et al., 2019). Given that EHR records are a requirement for healthcare organizations in the U.S., understanding the elements that characterize its implementation is essential. Such change can be a complex undertaking and without proper planning and implementation, the chances of a successful change process are limited. The process of change in the healthcare industry such as the implementation of a new EHR system is driven by key elements that leaders in the sector should be aware of. In this case, some specific forces or reasons shape how change occurs in the healthcare sector. According to Nilsen et al (2020), the key forces that influence change in healthcare organizations include aging populations, new discoveries, technological advancements, and changing disease patterns. In their article, Vaishnavi et al. (2019) describe financial cuts and government policies as key drivers of change in healthcare organizations. Nilsen et al. (2020) also note that organizational changes are necessary to account for the values and norms in society that are constantly evolving. For example, access to care, patient involvement, and ensuring patient satisfaction have become key norms in the healthcare sector. In this sense, a healthcare organization can implement new changes to keep up with the expectations of patients and society at large. It is evident from research that there are many reasons for change in healthcare organizations. For example, in regards to EHR implementation in healthcare, it is a requirement by the government that healthcare organizations implement EHR systems to improve the delivery of healthcare services to patients. In this case, government policy, as highlighted by Vaishnavi et al. (2019) was a key factor in pushing hospitals to implement EHRs. The need to implement EHRs can also be attributed to technological changes as informed by Nilsen et al. (2020). The presence of technological systems in the market drove the healthcare industry to adopt systems they deemed beneficial to improving the delivery of care. A key factor that contributes to change in the healthcare industry is burnout. According to research by Montgomery et al. (2019), burnout has become a key problem in healthcare and it should drive healthcare organizations to implement necessary changes to protect the welfare of healthcare workers. By highlighting how burnout impedes performance, the authors seek to convince healthcare leaders to formulate effective strategies to prevent and ameliorate burnout in the healthcare sector (Montgomery et al., 2019). The authors recommend that healthcare organizations analyze burnout at departmental levels and consequently implement solutions to address it (Montgomery et al, 2019). Given the above reasons for the change in healthcare, it can be deduced that healthcare leaders need to monitor the factors and incorporate changes that seek to improve the performance of their systems. Leadership is thus emerges an integral component that determines whether or not the change initiative will succeed. A key leadership style that is associated with the successful running of organizations and change processes is transformational leadership described by Robbins and Davidhizar (2020). According to the authors, the changes that characterize the healthcare sector require a leadership style that takes into account the needs of employees such as nurses (Robbins & Davidhizar., 2020). In this case, a transformational leader creates a vision and empowers members of the organization to attain it. It is essential for the leader to have a vision of what needs to be done to reach a future desired state. However, it is not enough to have a vision; Robbins and Davidhizar (2020) point out that the leader must effectively communicate the vision to followers. Therefore, the leader must have the ability to make their vision of change a vision for everyone in the organization. Øygarden et al. (2020) talk of change-oriented leadership that can support the implementation of change initiatives in an organization. According to the authors, important change-oriented leadership actions include monitoring and assessing the environment, envisaging new possibilities for the healthcare organization, explaining and communicating the need for change to healthcare employees, and providing creative solutions and suggestions for attaining change goals (Øygarden et al., 2020). Furthermore, Øygarden et al. (2020) point out that the attitudes and behaviors of leaders during change play a role in shaping how employees perceive and accept the change process. In essence, leadership determines significantly the success of change efforts in healthcare organizations. In another study, Bonawitz et al. (2020) focus on champions of change as leaders during the change process. As per the authors, champions play a key role in facilitating change efforts in the healthcare industry (Bonawitz et al., 2020). An important attribute of champions as leaders of change in the healthcare sector is the ability to influence others (Bonawitz, et al., 2020). In the study, champions with leadership roles engaged colleagues and helped in overcoming organizational barriers to change (Bonawitz et al., 2020). Furthermore, the article notes that champions took personal responsibility for ensuring that change efforts succeeded. The champions were skilled communicators, highlighting the value of communication during the change process. In this case, therefore, the leadership of an organization and change efforts shape significantly the implementation of change initiatives. They help key stakeholders such as nurses embrace the change initiative. While leadership is instrumental in the success of change initiatives in healthcare, it is not the only factor. In this case, other stakeholders such as nurses play a role in supporting change efforts. Without the support of healthcare personnel, change efforts cannot succeed. A study by Nilsen et al. (2019) examined the perception of healthcare professionals regarding change. As per the author, it is important to examine the perspectives of healthcare professionals about change in order to facilitate the successful implement...