Leadership In Healthcare

What does empathy look like in leadership? Last night I sat in an after-hours clinic until 10 p.m. The place was filled with tired parents and restless children as winter illnesses spread across New Zealand. The wait was long, yet the clinic stayed calm. Two nurses worked with precision, and three doctors kept a steady rhythm from room to room. One nurse knelt to a child’s eye level to explain the delay. Another placed a cup of water in a worried mother’s hands without a word. They stayed late so everyone was seen. I was one of the last to be seen, but that is ok because kids deserve to be seen first. Year after year our health system face staff shortages and limited resources. Yet medical staff do their best to make a difference. Last night was a quiet masterclass in empathy, not as a PR slogan to "be kind," but as the culture of showing up when people need you. Then there’s the moment in this clip when Juan Martín del Potro pauses a tennis match so that an injured ball girl can be comforted and replaced. No glory and no extra point for his sportsmanship. Just presence and empathy under pressure. Virtue signaling posts values on a wall and calls it done. Real empathy, by contrast, seeks no recognition and genuinely serves others. The people on my team have families. If work wins and home loses, we all lose. The community pays first, and the business pays later. So, here are my 5 simple tips on how you can lead with empathy: 1. Ask real questions: ⇀ What really matters this month? ⇀ What would make work better? 2. Set humane rules: ⇀ Name the top three priorities. ⇀ No stealth weekend work. 3. Be present in hard moments: ⇀ Have the tough conversations early. ⇀ Support your team in public. 4. Share the load: ⇀ Move deadlines and reassign work. ⇀ Cover a shift. 5. Measure what matters: ⇀ Track energy, trust, and safety. ⇀ Let those guide decisions. Empathy is how we show up for each other, week after week - whether it's for our teams, families, or communities. How has empathy shaped the way you lead, or the way you’ve been led? ------- ➕ Follow Jonathan Maharaj FCPA for finance‑leadership clarity. 🔄 Share this insight with a decision‑maker. 📰 Get deeper breakdowns in Financial Freedom, my free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gYHdNYzj 📆 Ready to work together? Book your Clarity Session: https://lnkd.in/gyiqCWV2

Recent headlines around Elon Musk's DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) claiming massive fraud in Social Security, based solely on raw data indicating a surprising number of "Guinness Book-worthy" 150-year-old beneficiaries, perfectly illustrate a common pitfall in data-driven decision-making: ignoring context. We rightly champion data democratisation, empowering people through broader access and transparency. But democratising raw data without strong governance or shared understanding can quickly lead teams - and even high-profile tech billionaires - to draw dangerously wrong conclusions. DOGE didn't uncover fraud. They stumbled onto a decades-old coding artefact from legacy COBOL systems, which default missing birth dates to a fixed placeholder: May 1875. Today, this innocent technical quirk translates into an unusually large cohort of remarkably spry 150-year-olds. Without understanding this nuance, Musk turned a harmless data anomaly into conspiracy fuel. This isn't abstract theory; it's the practical importance of the DIKW hierarchy in action: - DATA alone showed unusually elderly beneficiaries. - INFORMATION explained COBOL’s default-date handling quirks. - KNOWLEDGE recognised these as technical anomalies rather than evidence of fraud. - WISDOM would have meant investigating thoroughly before publicly declaring "massive fraud." True data leadership isn’t about chasing sensational numbers; it demands the discipline and humility to seek context first, interpret thoughtfully, and then act. #DataLiteracy #CriticalThinking #DataLeadership #DataGovernance

Integrity isn’t tested in boardrooms. It’s tested at 7 AM when everything is already broken. Integrity is who you are when your ED is already over capacity. When the administrator wants numbers that don't exist. When your team is exhausted and looking to you for answers you don't have. Warren Buffett once said something that stuck with me: "In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: intelligence, energy, and integrity. And if they don't have the latter, the other two will kill you." I’ve watched this play out. And it can be particularly challenging for women. Our integrity gets tested more often. Questioned more deeply. Scrutinized through a lens we didn't choose. But here's what that taught me: It made me solid in ways I didn't expect. Because without integrity, intelligence becomes manipulation. Energy becomes bulldozing. Here’s what integrity actually looks like in real leadership roles: ✨ Admitting you don't know ✨ Pushing back when ratios aren't safe, (even when budgets are tight) ✨ Having the hard performance conversation instead of hoping it resolves itself ✨ Saying no to the new initiative when your team is already drowning ✨ Choosing what's right for patients over what looks good on metrics Not heroic. Just consistent. After two decades leading teams in high-pressure healthcare environments, this pattern is unmistakable. And when you get this right, something shifts: Decisions happen faster because trust is already there. People follow because they know where you stand. We don't get to control our reputation. But we can control our standards. Everything else follows. Most leadership failures aren’t skill gaps - they’re integrity gaps Save this for days leadership feels heavy. ➕ Follow Dr Erica Kreismann for daily insights on leadership, growth, and finding your ground

The data is screaming a failure of leadership: You cannot buy better patient outcomes. Industry has treated digital health like an IT project, not a human transformation. And the result is a $100 Billion to $300 Billion annual non-adherence problem in the U.S. alone. Stop buying tech that adds friction. Start investing in invisible empathy. The real transformation doesn't happen when a new server racks up. It happens when a well-designed tool hands a physician more time to look a patient in the eye. This is the non-negotiable ROI of smart health technology: Time returned to the caregiver. If your solution demands the human workflow adapt to the software (EHRs, I'm looking at you), you've lost. You have introduced the Curse of Intelligence, prioritizing complexity over care. Connected Care demands we reverse this. The mandate is simple for Founders and Executives: Design for the "From Home, Back to Home" Loop. The critical disconnect happens after discharge. The patient's core human need shifts to continuous reinforcement and accountability. The Connected Care model solves this. This is where technology must be a seamless enabler, not a distraction: Wrong Focus: Generic medication reminders and confusing portal dashboards. Right Focus: AI-powered nudges, triggered by integrated biometrics (IoT), that translate complex data into a simple, real-time message of support. When a virtual monitoring system detects a deviation (missed exercise, sudden weight gain), it must deliver personalized, empathetic coaching. This scales the vital function of an expensive human health coach. The formula is simple: Connected Care + Personalization = Adherence. It is estimated that highly personalized digital messaging can increase adherence rates by almost 18%. That's not a technical win; that's a human win scaled by technology. The technology you can't see working is often the one generating the highest value. True Connected Care is felt, not seen. #HealthTech #DigitalHealth #HealthcareStrategy #HealthIT #ConnectedCare

Having a lot of data isn’t the same thing as having high-value data. If you’re having a hard time explaining that to executive leaders, try a different approach. Teach them how to put a dollar value on the business’s data. Every curated dataset creates new opportunities for the business, and that’s the connection between data and profit. The simplest data valuation method is called ‘With & Without’. The business thinks that every dataset creates the same value, so I run an early experiment to disprove that assumption. I turn off access to datasets that stakeholders believe are high value and wait for the complaints to roll in. In most cases, no one notices. Three months later, I propose putting the dataset into cold storage. Business leaders push back, saying their teams would grind to a halt without access to those datasets. I tell them about the experiment. Now I can start a rational conversation about connecting data to use cases and putting a dollar value on each dataset. Data doesn’t create value for two reasons: 1️⃣ It’s incomplete. The data required to support the use case isn’t being gathered holistically. Sometimes that’s an accessibility issue. Other times, the use case, workflow, and outcomes aren’t understood well enough to know what data is necessary. 2️⃣ It lacks context. Data points aren’t enough to support use cases. Context about the process, product, person, intent, and outcome is required. Until data is gathered contextually, its value creation is limited. Connecting datasets with opportunities creates the justification for changing how the business gathers and leverages data. Putting a dollar value on contextual datasets quantifies the ROI of information architecture and engineering initiatives. That’s the shortest path to getting budget and buy-in. Quantify value in terms that business leaders care about and show them a clear connection with outcomes they believe are essential.

The most dangerous myth in MedTech? That quality is solely QA’s job. That belief costs companies millions. Think about it: • Remediation • Delayed launches • Damaged reputations The impact is real. Quality is not a department. It is a shared responsibility across product development, operations, leadership, and every function that touches the patient. But here’s the nuance I’ve learned after more than 25 years in biotech, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices: Shared responsibility does not erase individual roles. It clarifies them. Here is how quality ownership should actually be distributed across an organization: 1. What a QA Manager is truly responsible for: • Building and maintaining the QMS • Preparing for FDA, ISO, MDR, IVDR, and MDSAP audits • Leading CAPA management and long-term effectiveness • Overseeing documentation and change control • Ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements 2. Where companies consistently go wrong: • Expecting QA to catch every defect or oversight • Asking QA to write technical procedures for other departments • Isolating risk management within QA instead of placing it with departmental or process experts • Pushing last-minute compliance cleanups onto QA • Treating quality as the “police” instead of a strategic partner 3. What requires real cross-functional partnership: • Partnering with engineering on strong design controls • Closing CAPAs by fixing systemic issues • Monitoring post-market performance • Improving supplier quality with shared ownership • Helping teams use documentation for safety and consistency QA managers cannot and should not function as quality superheroes. You need an entire organization of quality champions. Here are questions that every team should think about: • Who actually owns design controls? • Is QA guiding or just cleaning up? • Has anyone outside QA had recent compliance training? • Are we fixing root causes or patching symptoms? • Do non-QA teams see how their choices affect audits and patients? Shifting from “quality is their job” to “quality is our job” takes discipline, but the payoff is undeniable: • Higher team alignment • Safer, more reliable products • Stronger relationships with regulators • Faster readiness for certification and market entry The results speak for themselves when quality becomes part of the culture, not just the checklist. P.S. If you asked me how to explain to a CEO that QA is not a document-writing silo, I’d say this: Quality protects the patient, the brand, and the business. Its value comes from partnership, not paperwork. As someone who has spent decades in biotech and MedTech quality and compliance, I continue to help teams strengthen this mindset. I’m also opening new training sessions on ISO certification, internal auditing, and compliance fundamentals for cross-functional teams, ensuring compliance with ISO, FDA, and any other applicable requirements. Let me know if you’d like the details.

Stop the "𝓦𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓦𝓱𝓲𝓽𝓮-𝓦𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰". I'm seeing the national well-being agenda unfold. But I can predict that for many, corporate wellness will feel like a checkbox. Many will hear it but not understand it. Sure, wear that pedometer. Or download that mindfulness app. It's not going to be enough. Transformative sacrifices of leadership attitudes are necessary for genuine growth. 𝟏. 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Leaders must move from advising to being in the comfort of what I call professional silence. Almost everyone thinks they "listen" when all they are doing is "hearing". Non-judgmental, active listening. Being present. Deep empathy. Stitching together common ground. These support destigmatizing difficult conversations. They will help people become more willing to speak, because you were willing to listen. 💬 𝟐. 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐅𝐢𝐱 𝐯𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 It's tempting to slap on a wellness program and call it a day. True well-being is a marathon, not a sprint. Just because you woke up fine today doesn't mean it will be permanent. Commit to continuous learning. Understand the growing literature on well-being. Don't brush it off as "positive thinking". Everyone is on a journey to growth. Often, hurt people will hurt people. This is a greater call for even more conversations. Effective Conversation is NOT "chit-chat". It requires skill. It requires regularity. It's the leader's ultimate tool for solid culture. It shows that you value people beyond their immediate output. 🌱 𝟑. 𝐇𝟐𝐇 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲-𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 There are diverse needs. Be open to deeper conversations. Resonant policies empower individuals. Empowered individuals will be more engaged and productive. Enaged and productive culture cements competitiveness. Human being to human being. Not just another list of tasks and checklists. 𝟒. 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 A collective approach is the power of thinking together. Move from leader-centric to people-centric needs. Invite input from all levels. Hire a trained and grounded facilitator to manage this conversation. Develop clarity of conversation challenges. Enable leaders to navigate difficult convos. Build a shared responsibility for these. Sense of community will emerge. Community improves chances for retention and succession. It enables sustained progress. 👥 𝟓. 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐫 vs 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 Transparency breeds trust, even when unpleasant. Share not just successes. Share struggles and setbacks. Build collective stories. Vulnerability takes courage. Courage enables transparency. Transparency breeds authenticity. Authenticity leads to genuine connection. Connection enables thinking together. Thinking together enables progress. 🌟 Thoughts?

Do you know what silently damages both financial stability and patient safety? It’s not just wrong diagnoses. It’s not just new regulations. It’s the Silo Tax. That invisible wall between Clinical, Financial, and Operations teams. It drains money. It breaks trust. And it makes healthcare harder than it needs to be. I’ve seen it for decades both on the hospital floor and in leadership. Inefficient workflows cost medical practices in lakhs per provider every year. That’s money lost because teams don’t talk to each other. And patients? Fragmented care leads to more hospitalizations, higher costs, and worse outcomes. Especially for those with chronic illnesses. This isn’t just a medical failure. It’s a system failure. So, what do we do? Here are 3 shifts that really change things: 1. Fix the leadership mindset. Silos aren’t IT problems. They’re leadership problems. I’ve seen managers refuse to “loan out their people,” leaving one team overworked while another is idle. The answer? Rapid Process Improvement Workshops (RPIWs). Break the “my people, my budget” mindset. Build shared accountability. 2. Build the CMO–CFO partnership. Margins are razor-thin. Over 40% of hospitals are running in the red. That pressure makes collaboration non-negotiable. When Clinical and Finance leaders align on quality metrics, they stop fighting for resources and start improving both care and financial health. 3. Make data the connector. Less than half of primary care doctors even know when a specialist changes a patient’s medication. That’s unacceptable. We need unified platforms—systems that merge financial, clinical, and operational data into one source of truth. With full transparency, silos can’t survive. If we want real Value-Based Care, we need System-Level Thinking. We need leaders who make collaboration the norm, not the exception. We need to reinvest efficiency gains back into patient care and staff well-being. Because in healthcare, value doesn’t come from volume or isolation. It comes from alignment. #HealthcareLeadership #ValueBasedCare #SystemsThinking #HospitalOperations

I still remember how distressing it was being the hospital executive on call in winter, knowing the hospital had no beds left and no good options — for patients or staff.   High‑quality, affordable healthcare starts with one thing: understanding demand — and planning capacity around it.   During my recent trip to Saudi Arabia, I saw how this is being applied at a national scale through Vision 2030. A robust nationwide demand and capacity model which is already shaping decisions across prevention, primary care, new hospital builds and major diagnostics such as MRI.   Earlier in my career as an NHS CFO, I saw how frequently decisions were made in silos — capital, workforce, digital — often disconnected from a real understanding of population driven demand.   The consequences are stark: long A&E waits, cancelled operations, and teams working at breaking point. Even with the best intentions, systems struggle when demand isn’t clearly understood and planned for.   The progress under Vision 2030 is real: a shift toward population health and prevention, clearer system governance, and far more disciplined, data‑led planning. Importantly, that same model is now guiding the next phase — shaping virtual care and targeted uses of agentic AI so digital investment delivers real impact.   The lesson is simple: Start with demand. Design integrated services around population need. Align workforce, estates, diagnostics and digital behind it. Stop planning in silos.   That’s how health systems move from ambition to delivery — and from pressure to performance. #healthcare #tranformation #virtualcare #agenticAI #integratedcare #populationhealthmanagement

My #1 advice for anyone building in digital health, health-tech, or women’s health. For free. Right now: Include the people you’re building for! I know it sounds simple, but this keeps getting missed. It’s costly. And it’s completely avoidable. And not as a focus group at the end, as leaders and co-designers from day one. As a bonus, here is some nuance I wish more teams practiced: Be specific. “Women” is not a monolith. 1 woman ≠ all women. If you say you’re building for women broadly and your leadership, product, or strategy team is either: A) all men or B) all wealthy white women you’ve already missed the mark. Instead: Bring in the communities you serve, across race, income, ability, language, geography, and LGBTQIA+ identities. Pay them as advisors and decision-makers, not tokens. Share power: co-design, test, iterate, and add community governance. Measure who benefits and who gets left behind, then fix the gaps early. I’m here to help. And if I’m not the right fit, I’ll connect you to people across digital health who are. 👇🏾In the comments, tell me: What are you building right now? Whose voices and leadership are already at the table? Where could you still use support? Or Tag a company you think is doing this well! #DigitalHealth #HealthTech #WomensHealth #HealthCareOnLinkedIn #Startup