Chapter 2 Organizing for Agile and Sustainable Health Care: The Alegent Health Case

Abstract

Purpose – This chapter argues that the concept of agility is an effective robust framework for designing sustainable health care systems.

Design/methodology/approach – This case study of Alegent Health was based on 7 years of data collection. It includes observations of meetings, large-group interventions, and other activities; site visits to different hospitals in the system to observe changes in practice; interviews with Alegent Health executives, primary care physicians, hospital presidents, specialist physicians and physician groups, and health systems staff and nurses; and a variety of archival data including meeting minutes, video tapes, conference proceedings, and web site material.

Findings – The Alegent Health system has evolved over time according to the principles of agility. It built a series of new capabilities that contribute to improved clinical outcomes, sustained financial results, and more socially and ecologically responsible results. Designing health care systems based on agility is a more effective and sustainable approach than relying on legislative or other criteria.

Originality/value – The discussion of sustainability in health care has focused primarily on specific projects or how to respond to specific technological, regulatory, or clinical changes. Alegent Health's experience provides important lessons, opportunities, and challenges that can help advance our understanding of effective health care and use organizational agility to create more sustainable health care systems. This chapter provides health care system administrators an alternative design option.

Citation

Worley, C.G. (2012), "Chapter 2 Organizing for Agile and Sustainable Health Care: The Alegent Health Case", Albers Mohrman, S. and (Rami) Shani, A.B. (Ed.) Organizing for Sustainable Health Care (Organizing for Sustainable Effectiveness, Vol. 2), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 41-75. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2045-0605(2012)0000002006