Here’s the naked truth. “The measures that should matter to CEO’s are the same measures their customers use when adapting to change.”
When it comes to phasing-out unprofitable programs and services many behavioral health managers just continue hanging on. Even in more competitive markets the same CEO’s frequently cannot face giving up their favorite services of 40 years ago, and laying-off their “tenured”, loyal workforce. Cutting expenses to balance revenues and expenses is the name of the game
Despite these realities, the good news is there are still a few managers’ who have somehow learned to adapt to change by adjusting their treatment services by actively managing problems associated with reductions in revenues, higher operating costs, changes in technology, and resource scarcities.
In many older industries such as Mental Health and Addiction Treatment services, traditional “old-line managers” have not taken into account the changing consumer attitudes, expectations of quality care nor have they implemented a newer set of marketing communications dynamics. Due to the rigidity of many of these traditional healthcare CEO’s, the financial condition of the behavioral health industry has not been well for some time.
The outlook for many programs remains troubled. Here’s why. Adapting to Change and becoming more flexible with their operations, by responding to newly recognized market forces has not been part of their DNA. Barriers to improving business financials, requires managers to change their long-held, negative attitudes about meeting the needs of their patients. And many managers have not changed their thinking in a very long time.
Managers who find themselves in financial hot water must quickly find they will have to learn the fine art of problem solving rather than complaining about the current hostile environment they are facing. Old, hardened, ineffectual excuses are often the barriers to why corrective actions and changes in operations have not been forthcoming.
Negative mindsets of top managers inevitably inhibit an organization’s strategic flexibility, and the ability to adapt to a changing marketplace.
