Every time you step outside of your home during the pandemic, there’s always the risk that you could get—or give—COVID-19. That’s why using risk analysis principles can be an important strategy to help assess the dangers that exist. “Risk analysis is a scientific tool that can help us assess threats to human health, provide input … Continue reading “Using a Risk Analysis Framework to Guide COVID-19 Decisions”
Health care workers currently face challenges that are more intense than usual during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The medical field is no stranger to crises, but COVID-19 has caused, in many cases, a profoundly heightened environment — extending not just to the professional but to the personal lives of employees, leaders, partners, and patients. “It’s … Continue reading “How to Build—And Lead—Resilient Health Care Teams During COVID-19”
Academic health systems routinely test their disaster preparedness—but nothing has fully prepared organizations for the public health crisis of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, explains Mary Finlay, lecturer in the Department of Health Policy & Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and program director of the Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic … Continue reading “The Unique Challenges – and Opportunities – Facing Leaders of Academic Health Centers During COVID-19”
The unprecedented worldwide crisis spawned by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) makes leading in health care more challenging than ever. Executives face the stress and consequences of a pandemic on top of the tumult of an unsettled marketplace. The concepts and tools of meta-leadership help those leaders reframe adversity. It is an opportunity for building … Continue reading “The Importance of Meta-Leadership During the COVID-19 Crisis”
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to spread across the United States and the world. It is an unprecedented time—among other directives, people in affected areas have been asked to limit contact with others except when necessary (also known as social distancing), which has drastically impacted business, education, and daily life. The effects of the virus … Continue reading “Developing Public Health Communication Strategies—And Combating Misinformation—During COVID-19”
People who are bullied at work can suffer a myriad of negative health impacts—poor mental health, sleep deprivation, and stress-related illness among them. This can also impact their workplace at the organizational level, especially since some bullied workers leave their jobs, file HR claims, pursue legal action, or simply suffer from low morale. It’s a … Continue reading “It’s Not Just Personal: The Economic Value of Preventing Bullying in the Workplace”
In the event of a nuclear disaster, it’s essential that nuclear plants have air-cleaning systems that have been properly maintained in order to minimize radioactive exposure and protect the safety of workers, neighbors, and the environment. Air-cleaning systems in nuclear facilities (and elsewhere) play a crucial role in protecting public health—both on a day-to-day basis … Continue reading “The Need for Maintaining Nuclear Air-Cleaning Systems Properly to Protect Public Health and Safety”
Physician leaders who work in a variety of health care settings all around the world face similar challenges — from managing staff members to improving financial performance — in order to lead their organizations to success. They also require a deep understanding of the science of quality improvement, which is a framework used to improve … Continue reading “Transform Your Health Care Organization with Quality Improvement Skills”
U.S. medical care has experienced huge and unsustainable spending increases—especially in drug prices—for decades. Under the Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration accelerated the value-based care movement to address key spending categories such as hospital and physician care. Value-based purchasing seeks to reduce spending by improving quality and efficiency to address unnecessary costs. Most stakeholders … Continue reading “Putting the Drug Debate into Context: the State of Pharmaceutical Cost Reform in the U.S.”
Should you stop, or drastically reduce, eating fish to avoid mercury? Depending on what you read or watch on TV, the answers might be contradictory. According to James K. Hammitt, program director of Environmental Health Risk: Analysis and Applications, the risk analysis isn’t as simple as avoiding fish entirely—in fact, people are ultimately missing out … Continue reading “The Mercury Question: How to Understand Risk vs. Reward When Eating Fish”
