ABSTRACT
This chapter provides pragmatic advice for healthcare leaders who want to improve performance and ensure that in doing so they improve patient outcomes and healthcare system productivity. It describes five strategies with proven effectiveness if executed well: create scale in clinical and administrative support services; form clinical teams that treat a high volume of patients; use minimally invasive techniques that reduce length of hospital stay or—even better—allow same-day treatment without an overnight stay; involve patients in self-managing their health; and target interventions to patients who are most likely to benefit. Healthcare services are the largest economic activity in developed countries. Executives in healthcare organizations focus only on cost reduction, thus creating tension with clinicians who want to focus on improving patient outcomes. Many clinicians and patients confuse good outcomes with good quality. Good quality does not always mean a good outcome and a good outcome does not always mean good quality.
