On-Demand Learning Lab - Driving Change in Healthcare Part 1: People, Process, & Purpose-June 2025 Learning Lab Handout

June 2025 Learning Lab Handout

Pdf Summary

This document outlines the first session of a three-part “Driving Change in Healthcare: People, Process & Purpose” learning lab led by quality and transformation leaders from Johns Hopkins Medicine and Sharp Healthcare. It frames healthcare change as increasingly complex and constant, and positions quality professionals as uniquely equipped to lead it—serving as guardians of standards, data-driven storytellers, bridge builders across silos, translators of “why,” champions of learning, navigators of resistance, and advocates for patient-centered outcomes.<br /><br />The session defines four types of change in healthcare: problem-driven change (e.g., safety or regulatory issues), organic evolution (culture and gradual adaptation), evidence-based practice (research-driven standardization), and transformational change (enterprise-wide strategic overhaul). It reviews historical and current drivers that have shaped change management demands, including system consolidation and the rise of HMOs (more standardization, stakeholders, and organizational layers), value-based purchasing (reimbursement tied to quality metrics and documentation), workforce shortages and burnout (reduced capacity and psychological safety), and COVID-19 (rapid innovation, exposed vulnerabilities, accelerated digital transformation, and weakened trust).<br /><br />Ongoing “everyday” drivers include technology acceleration, shifting demographics, rising costs, empowered patients, and evolving regulations—each requiring quality leaders to mitigate unintended consequences, advance equity, reduce waste and variation, amplify patient voice, and keep organizations survey-ready.<br /><br />The presentation introduces why structured change models matter (clarity, alignment, sustainability, and engagement) and surveys key frameworks: Kotter’s 8 steps, Lewin’s unfreeze-change-refreeze, Rogers’ diffusion of innovation, and the J-curve performance response to change. It contrasts Lean Six Sigma (process/tools/metrics—the “how”) with High Reliability Organizations (culture/behaviors/safety—the “why”) and emphasizes the human side of change: communication, resistance, engagement, psychological safety, and emotional toll. Subsequent sessions will apply these frameworks and focus on sustaining change across disciplines.

Keywords

healthcare change management

quality improvement leadership

Driving Change in Healthcare learning lab

Johns Hopkins Medicine

Sharp Healthcare

Kotter 8-step model

Lewin unfreeze-change-refreeze

Rogers diffusion of innovation

Lean Six Sigma vs High Reliability Organizations

value-based purchasing and quality metrics