Guiding Healthcare Organizations in Strategic Pathways: Assessing a Dynamic Adaptive Model

In an era of increasing uncertainty and complexity, healthcare decision makers must navigate dynamic environments with greater awareness and adaptability. This study assesses what the impact is of the Dynamic Adaptive Decision Support model (DADS) on stewarding capacity by fostering adaptability, resilience, and strategic foresight. Using the concept of stewarding capacity, operationalised from the context of public policy to the context of organizations, the study assesses the extent to which DADS enables healthcare leaders to anticipate and deal with long-term uncertainties, risks, and changes. A longitudinal quasi-experimental study was conducted and embedded in an ongoing strategic management process, namely the strategic real estate plan, within a healthcare organization-a context strongly influenced by fluctuating demands and unpredictable external factors. The DADS intervention was applied through structured group and individual sessions, after which participants were interviewed using open-ended questions to evaluate its impact on stewarding capacity. Findings reveal that DADS significantly enhances stewarding capacity by facilitating a collaborative knowledge-generation process, strengthening self-organization across multiple levels, and fostering continuous monitoring and learning. However, the study also uncovers challenges, particularly in leveraging partnerships for knowledge-sharing and reinforcing self-organization through cross-sectoral networks. These insights suggest that while DADS holds promise as an innovative decision-support tool, its operationalisation requires further refinement. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that DADS has the potential to evolve into a transformative approach for strategic planning and management in healthcare. As organizations face an era of increasing complexity, integrating adaptive decision-making frameworks like DADS may prove essential in ensuring sustainable, forward-thinking strategies.