Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

Recently, my organization went through system-wide strategic planning sessions. Too often, even the best of strategic plans are not implemented successfully because organizations do not consider strategy execution in these discussions, neglecting to ask themselves how their organizations can prepare to implement the plans crafted (Cote, 2020). Our facilitator, Costin Jordache of Adventist Healthcare, lead us through our planning session, taking care to define the ingredients of execution. The following article explores his format for successful execution.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

Consistency in the day-to-day requirements of leadership is essential, but the best leaders also know how to intentionally create moments that inspire, engage, drive imagination, and have an impact that far outlasts the moment itself.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

National Public Radio (NPR) recently did a story on how, for the first time in 100 years, life expectancy in the U.S. has dropped for two straight years. In 2019, someone born in the U.S. had a life expectancy of 79 years. As a result of the pandemic, life expectancy dropped to 77 years in 2020, and dropped again in 2021 to 76.1 years (Greenhalgh & Simmons-Duffin, 2022).

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

On the cusp of entering an endemic state, organizations are deciding what to turn their attention to “after COVID.” Wise leaders will recognize that this is not as simple as carrying on with their pre-COVID strategies. No organization has been immune to the shockwave of disruption that the pandemic has caused (Lagasse, 2020). This is especially true in the healthcare field. Hospital staff and resources are strained from bearing the weight of pandemic changes and regulations as well as the loss of skilled staff in the Great Resignation. You simply cannot “pick up where you left off” strategically when your workforce—the essential piece to actually accomplishing any strategy—is burned out and struggling. Something has to give.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

There can be no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic is ongoing, serious, and unpredictable. But based on current data and past patterns, we can forecast what Spring 2022 might bring and how to best respond.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

Each one of us has deeply held beliefs that motivate us to action. This is part of what it is to be human. It is embedded in our humanity to pursue virtue, or a habitual and firm disposition to do good.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

Nearly half of all Americans suffer from at least one chronic disease, and that number is growing. Chronic diseases—including cancer, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, respiratory diseases, arthritis, obesity, and oral diseases—can lead to hospitalization, long-term disability, reduced quality of life, and death. Additionally, chronic diseases often require a long period of supervision, observation, or care. To make matters more complicated, many patients have multiple morbidities, creating particular challenges for healthcare providers.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

Years ago, I accepted a job even though I was told that the team I was to lead didn’t want me as their leader. During my tenure, I received anonymous threats to leave, as well as episodes of sabotage and unhelpful behavior. Despite this, I was convinced that I could win them over with my leadership skills. Instead of improved conditions, however, things got worse. It became clear that the team was just waiting for me to make a mistake. Like all leaders (and indeed all humans), I eventually did.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

As an increasing portion of the global population continues to receive the COVID vaccine, public health experts, government officials, and healthcare professionals continue to monitor variants emerging around the world. With recent spikes of infections in India that have brought devastating death tolls and an overwhelmed healthcare system, it is clear that reaching the “end” of COVID and moving forward into a sense of normalcy will not be a straightforward process.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

An organization’s “culture” is simply defined as the expected way to behave within an organization. Stated more simply, organizational culture is “the way things are done around here” (Deal & Kennedy, 2000). Culture is not written rules or guidelines, but rather the way we act and how we get work done. The values of a particular organizational culture are engrained into the life of the organization. When culture is found to be ineffective or, worse, toxic, leaders discover that it is extremely difficult to change.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

According to the United Nations, 75% of all COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered among just 10 countries, while 130 countries have not received even a single dose of the vaccine, as of mid-February 2021 (Al Jazeera, 2021). Global health and political leaders have condemned this unbalanced distribution of vaccines and are taking action to ensure vaccine equity. Dr. Tebros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), said in a recent address, “The world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure—and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world’s poorest countries” (United Nations, 2021).

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

The uncertainty brought on by leadership transitions can be hard on employees and organizations (Keller & Meaney, 2017). Staff members wonder: Will the new leader understand the mission? What changes will they implement—and will that impact my ability to do my work and find fulfillment in this job?

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

Next to clean water, no single intervention has had such a dramatic effect on decreasing mortality as has the widespread introduction of vaccines (Howson, Howe, & Fineberg, 1991). The World Health Organization (WHO) describes immunization as a “key component of primary health care and an indisputable human right,” as well as “one of the best health investments money can buy” (World Health Organization, 2020). Vaccines play a critical role in the prevention and management of the outbreak of infectious diseases. The rapid spread of COVID-19 during the months-long wait for a vaccine have highlighted their importance to public health.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

The term "patient-centered care" is in vogue and utilized by health system administrators, marketing gurus, hospital staff, and clinicians alike. It's a catchy phrase that resonates with stakeholders, and it sounds like something every healthcare organization would heartily embrace. However, the heart of patient-centered care and its implications for how care is actually provided to patients is not well understood.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, healthcare workers face unprecedented levels of stress, fear, and anxiety. Situations that trigger chronic stress have always been present within the important and weighty work of caring for patients, but routine stressors are now intensified by the serious risks of working on the frontlines of a pandemic. Together, this creates a perfect storm of heightened risk of burnout.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

As a society, we have been enduring life in a pandemic for over half a year. Though we have been feeling the effects of COVID-19 for a long time, medically speaking the disease is still very new to us. It is important to remember that our knowledge is still developing regarding the virus and much remains unknown—specifically the long-term effects of the disease.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

Population Health invokes an image of helping to improve the health of all within the community however even in recent years a large portion of the community are being further marginalized and failed on a daily basis and this systematic failure is leading to premature deaths and poor health outcomes. Black Lives Matter protests have emphasized the racial disparity evident within the United States and the western world. It’s an opportunity to look beyond the issues of law enforcement and examine one aspect of inequality and examine how Black, Indigenous and People of Colour are impacted by being treated differently within healthcare.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury, DNP

Most organizations would agree that the greatest asset of any organization is its people. Yet, when it comes to employee engagement—the level of “enthusiasm and connection employees have with their organization” (Croswell, 2020)—leadership often considers employees as a whole rather than individual parts with their own goals and strengths.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury, DNP

More people are infected with and have died from the coronavirus in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world, according to the available data at the time of this article’s publication (Andrew, 2020). Even with these astounding numbers, researchers are almost certain that the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have been significantly undercounted, since individuals with few to no symptoms are rarely tested.

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

An entrepreneur notoriously lives by accepting the risks of a new idea or venture with the possibility of enjoying the rewards. The business world is full of entrepreneurs bringing innovative solutions to problems and increasing profits for businesses. The healthcare industry could harness that entrepreneurial approach, not merely to make a profit, but to improve health outcomes for our patients and invest in our communities.