Why Negotiation Skills are Essential for Working in Health Care

There are few things as predictable in life as conflict. But in a health care environment, many people misunderstand both the nature of conflict and how to manage it constructively.    “Human beings have conflict. Conflict is simply a difference of opinion,” says Ted Witherell, a faculty member in the Department of Health Policy and Management, … Continue reading “Why Negotiation Skills are Essential for Working in Health Care”

Digital Technology for Mental Health: Apps and Beyond

During and after the COVID pandemic, there’s been an influx of digital mental health applications. Experts debate their usage and efficacy, particularly regarding ethical and privacy considerations: for example, in a 2023 FTC settlement, online therapy app BetterHelp was fined for its use of private health data. Digital health technologies (DHTs) have the capacity to … Continue reading “Digital Technology for Mental Health: Apps and Beyond”

Using Simulation Exercises to Find Breakthrough Results in Quality Improvement

When health care leaders and professionals want to undertake improvement projects in their practice or organization, they often need help honing in on where to start. Unfortunately, that stagnancy leads to a lack of progress. “If we continue to do what we’re doing, we continue to get the results that we’re getting. If we want … Continue reading “Using Simulation Exercises to Find Breakthrough Results in Quality Improvement”

The Future of DEI in Health Care: How to Maintain, Protect, and Support Initiatives

For many health care organizations, necessary diversity, equity, and inclusion work has been ongoing for the past few years. After these initiatives pass the development stage, many are now experiencing roadblocks, pushback, or stagnation. What do we do now? DEI experts may be wondering. “Now the office exists, and you’re trying to hold onto it. … Continue reading “The Future of DEI in Health Care: How to Maintain, Protect, and Support Initiatives”

The Skills Physician Leaders Need Today

Physician leaders who join the two-week Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic Health Centers program—usually those at the chief or medical director level—do so to hone the skills required for excelling at the next stage of medicine: the art of organizational business, increased financial literacy, and managerial skills. Yet, they walk away with those skills … Continue reading “The Skills Physician Leaders Need Today”

The Implementation Gap: Using Artificial Intelligence to Help Patients in Clinical Practices

While an extensive number of machine-learning models are developed, many of them are never put into use.   “All those amazing models could be helping patients,” says Santiago Romero-Brufau, M.D., Ph.D., Program Director of Implementing Health Care AI into Clinical Practice and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Biostatistics at Harvard T. H. Chan School … Continue reading “The Implementation Gap: Using Artificial Intelligence to Help Patients in Clinical Practices”

The Geopolitical Complexities of Nuclear Development in Developing Countries

In a bid to become carbon neutral (and often to establish better energy security for their citizens), developing countries are exploring nuclear power. Within the past few years, several Southeast Asian countries have announced plans to develop new nuclear technology, including Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia; Malaysia has outlined a preliminary nuclear policy. Other … Continue reading “The Geopolitical Complexities of Nuclear Development in Developing Countries”

Health System Leaders Face Disruption and Uncertainty in 2024

Senior health care executives recently shared their predictions for both challenges and opportunities in the year ahead. They include persistent issues such as evolving business models, high labor costs, talent retention, and new factors including virtual nursing and customized patient experiences. The bottom line is that leaders in health systems will be navigating turbulence and … Continue reading “Health System Leaders Face Disruption and Uncertainty in 2024”