Leading complex change in healthcare: 10 lessons learned.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Change
• Perinatal Care

Background:

• The transfer of perinatal services from St. Joseph's Health Care to London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) raised concerns among stakeholders.
• Potential negative impacts on care quality, staff morale, and team performance were key concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess "readiness and capacity for change" prior to the perinatal service transfer.
• To focus on the human aspects of change, including clinical and cultural alignment.
• To identify challenges and strategies for managing organizational change in healthcare.

Main Methods:

• Evaluation of organizational readiness and capacity for change.
• Focus on the human side of change, clinical alignment, and cultural integration.
• Description of external and internal challenges encountered during the transfer process.

Main Results:

• Readiness and capacity were established in the years leading up to the transfer.
• The approach prioritized attending to the human side of change.
• Ten lessons learned were identified and applied throughout the change process.

Conclusions:

• Proactive assessment of readiness and capacity is crucial for successful healthcare service transfers.
• Addressing the human side of change, including staff well-being and cultural alignment, is essential.
• Lessons learned from this transfer can inform future healthcare organizational changes.