Most CEOs, in my experience, are very smart and try really hard to do the right thing. New people that come into healthcare speak of all the employees and bricks and mortar and criticize the outdated business model and the actions of the healthcare leader. I think most leaders know that they can quickly improve profits if they cut staff and operations deeply. However, the simplicity of the problem and solution ends there.
As a patient and long-term as a leader, there is almost nothing worse than an understaffed healthcare operation. It’s beyond depressing to be in a short-staffed hospital, and it’s often scary.
So to all the people who join the field and immediately take shots at health systems, take a step back and realize they are playing an incredibly tough, tough game. Yes, it’s a labor intensive business and, yes, there are improvements to be made, but don’t kid yourself that there are easy answers.
