To some extent nothing has changed. The Federal government makes rules, changes them, and then changes them again (consider Red Flag). Patients need to medical care, even if payment is in question (state government shut down) and Medicare cuts are looming over us. However, someone has moved the cheese*. In my heart I know that a fundamental shift is occurring in the form of transparency, definition of quality, and technology. Telemedicine is an important aspect of this shift, and for me an exciting part of the future. It will change the management of chronic disease and rural health care. Specialties that today are exclusively delivered in a hospital or clinic will break those boundaries. I can see a future where many digital images are captured in the offices of rural optometry offices and read by ophthalmologists to determine the changes in or severity of conditions. This professional consultation will support decisions on whether or not the patient has to travel hours away from home or just needs to be monitored. How medical practices adapt to these changes has a lot to do with leadership. As leaders we won’t know exactly how our organizations need to change or when. Yet, we need to be the force behind finding the solutions, analyzing the impact, and supporting the relationships that are stressed by adaptation. This is not insignificant and it is stressful. How do we keep the focus? What tools support coping with the uncertainty? Are certain skills more conducive to success than others? The cheese has moved and we have get ready.
* Based on Spencer Johnson, author of Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal With Change in Your Work and In Your Life.