Becker's has put together a summer reading list for healthcare executives that aims to inspire thought and action. Below is a list of seven books by leaders in the fields of healthcare and business that are sure to make you reconsider the way you do business and help you and your organization thrive in 2017.
Prescription for the Future: The Twelve Transformational Practices of Highly Effective Medical Organizations (Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD):
This new book from the architect of the ACA examines 12 case studies from around the country that highlight innovative practices that Dr. Emanuel thinks can upend the U.S. healthcare system. Dr. Emanuel touches on every aspect of healthcare, from planning and delivery to payment. The book does not prescribe solutions; instead it offers itself as inspiration for healthcare leaders looking to draw from the examples he provides.
The Innovator’s Dilemma (Clayton Christensen, DBA):
Though this book spans beyond the healthcare industry, its lessons hold true for any executive trying to compete for or maintain market share. Dr. Christensen, a professor at Harvard Business School in Boston, outlines how companies that have cultivated success with a tried-and-true method are often overcome by young upstarts because they have stopped looking for innovative and disruptive new ideas.
Mistreated: Why We Think We're Getting Good Health Care - And Why We're Usually Wrong (Robert Pearl, MD):
Dr. Pearl, CEO and executive director of the Oakland, Calif.-based Permanente Medical Group, focuses on how to improve care delivery and patient outcomes in this book. He also notes that as long as care is expensive and inefficient in this country, the cost of providing care will exceed any government or company's ability to pay for it. Dr. Pearl advocates for value-based care and outlines steps physicians and organizations can take to improve care outcomes and efficiency.
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference (Malcolm Gladwell):
If executives haven't gotten around to reading Malcolm Gladwell's debut, this is the summer to cross it off the list. Seventeen years after it was published, the lessons in Tipping Point still hold true. Mr. Gladwell explores the tipping point phenomenon, the moment when an idea or practice reaches a critical mass and finally begins to succeed. This is a must-read for leaders in any field who have an eye toward innovation.
The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds (Michael Lewis):
The driving narrative voice and larger-than-life characters in this book can almost fool the reader into thinking they're reading fiction, but Mr. Lewis' latest story is anything but. This book examines the friendship between two of the 20th century's most important psychologists, and in doing so Mr. Lewis explores how the human mind works and the ways in which humans interact with one another. It is a vital read for those who desire to lead and inspire, or work well as part of a team.
Healthcare Disrupted: Next Generation Business Models and Strategies (Jeff Elton and Anne O'Riordan):
This book explores the greatest agents of disruption and change in healthcare, and how these factors will affect the industry in the long run. Exploring everything from technological advancements to innovative new business models, this book is a must-have for leaders in the field who want to keep their finger on the pulse of healthcare's most exciting new developments and understand how their own organizations can implement them.
The End of Loyalty: The Rise and Fall of Good Jobs in America (Rick Wartzman)
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Rick Wartzman looks at the changing relationship between Americans and the companies that employ them over the past 60 years, using General Electric, General Motors, Coca-Cola and Kodak as case studies. The book explores how job security and generous benefits have gone from guarantees to artifacts of a different era.
What'd we miss? Have a suggestion? We'd like to know. Please email lvartorella@beckershealthcare.com with your additions.