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052_Transformation from the Inside Out: Creating Sustainable Healthcare Change with Namita Azad
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Episode Overview
In this inspiring episode of Excellence in Healthcare, host Jarvis T. Gray sits down with Namita Azad, Senior Director of Transformation at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Together, they delve deep into digital transformation, human-centered systems, and the future of healthcare leadership.
Key Topics & Highlights
- Favorite Leadership Mindset
- Namita shares her guiding leadership quote: “Success begins with enabling people to succeed” (Napoleon Hill), discussing the impact of designing systems that help people thrive and deliver their best.
- Journey into Healthcare
- Namita details her unique background—born in India, raised in Botswana, and a professional career in both the Midwest and Northeast U.S.—and how it shaped her dedication to public health and transformation.
- Digital Transformation Explained
- A practical, inclusive breakdown of what digital transformation means in healthcare: not just implementing technology, but equipping people across all levels with tools and shared vocabulary, with an emphasis on sustainability and empowerment.
- AI in Healthcare
- Discussion about the buzz and potential of AI, and the importance of preparing staff with the right tools and understanding to harness AI effectively rather than fearing job displacement.
- Human-Centered Systems Transformation
- Namita argues for putting people at the center of systems design, emphasizing the importance of ensuring technology fits workflows—rather than forcing people to adapt to ill-fitting tools.
- Advice for Leaders
- Don't throw people at broken systems; instead, fix processes first and make data-driven decisions.
- The value of KPIs and leading indicators when determining if additional resources are needed.
- Opportunities & Trends
- The need for healthcare leaders to challenge the status quo—“This is how we’ve always done it”—and intentionally redesign processes with diverse, skilled teams.
- Celebrating Wins
- Celebrating where true transformation happens: when staff across the organization tell their own stories of impact and innovation, especially around scaling AI initiatives at Columbia.
Connect with Namita Zag
- LinkedIn: Namita Azad
Action Steps for Healthcare Leaders
- Consider your own organization’s approach to digital transformation: is it truly empowering staff, or simply installing technology?
- Shift focus to human-centered system design—align people, process, and tech.
- Leverage data and KPIs before adding resources.
- Seek out leadership training in industries that exemplify operational and people excellence.
- Read Thinking in Systems and Outwitting the Devil for fresh perspectives.
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