Beyond change management: Real digital transformation

The heart of digital transformation in healthcare

I recently had the pleasure of joining Rae Woods and John League on the Radio Advisory podcast to discuss a topic that's near and dear to my heart: digital transformation. While the conversation was lively and insightful, one key theme kept resurfacing — the inadequacy of simply talking about "change management." It's a phrase we hear frequently, often used as a quick fix.

But as John so eloquently put it, "Change management as a term is a distraction at best and a hindrance at worst for the actual work of managing change." This LinkedIn article expands on those thoughts and offers some practical advice.

In my over 20 years in healthcare digital transformation, I've seen countless organizations embark on ambitious projects only to fall short of their goals. They invest heavily in new technologies yet fail to achieve the anticipated benefits. Why? Because they treat "change management" as an afterthought, a box to be checked, rather than the core of the transformation itself.

As we discussed on the podcast, true, foundational change is hard. It's much easier to talk about it than to do it well. Often, what's labeled "change management" in healthcare is just change mitigation or change containment. It's about minimizing disruption, not about truly transforming the way we work. We're so busy "building the plane while we're flying" (especially relevant in healthcare) that we often discount the fundamental question: What are we actually trying to change?

One of the biggest hurdles is that we often start with the technology rather than the people. We get excited about AI or chatbots, thinking they'll magically solve our problems. But when it comes to change management through people, process and technology, people is listed first because true change has to start with people. We need to understand the problems we're trying to solve, whose perspectives matter and how to communicate effectively. Without this, even advanced technology may not succeed. 

Another common pitfall is starting too broad or too narrow. Throwing "spackle" at every problem, as John described it, isn't a strategy. Neither is focusing on a single, isolated solution without considering the bigger picture.

So, what's the solution? How do we get digital transformation right? Here are a few key takeaways from our Radio Advisory discussion:

• Start with the problem: Don't let the technology drive the transformation. Identify the real problems or opportunities you're trying to address.
• Focus on people: Understand the perspectives of those who will be using the technology and how it will impact their work. Address their concerns and provide adequate training and support.
• Build a resilient culture: Foster a growth mindset that embraces change as a constant, not a one-time event. This requires a shift in how we think about change, from something imposed on us to something we do.
• Assess your readiness: Leaders need to thoroughly evaluate their organization's capacity for change. This involves soul-searching and uncomfortable conversations about the future.