Leaders of healthcare organizations and students aspiring to become one, should be asking themselves one thing in these financially challenging times: how can they maintain a strategic and competitive advantage over other players in their market? Some healthcare organizations have faced extremely poor financial performance in recent years, with data suggesting that up to 10% of hospitals will go bankrupt or face closure within the next 10 years. Yet, little pragmatic evidence exists to offer insights into how to create better strategies to improve performance, build resiliency and align stakeholders.

Essentials of Healthcare Strategy and Performance Management explores the most critical components of business strategy and performance management for modern, complex healthcare organizations. Using pragmatic and real-world evidence, this book provides essential briefings on key topics that every current or aspiring leader needs to know in order to better manage strategy and achieve improved performance in their hospital or health system. We will also specifically focus on implementation of strategy, and best practices for some of the most important quality management techniques. We hope this book helps inspire leaders to be creative in formulating more effective competitive strategy.

Dr. James Langabeer is an experienced healthcare professor and leader, passionate about creating and innovating strategic and efficient healthcare systems. Trained as a behavioral decision scientist, he is a prominent researcher in strategic and operational decision-making. He is also the Managing Partner of Yellowstone Research, an independent consultancy providing healthcare strategy consulting, and a clinical leader and tenured Professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. His thoughts have been featured in Oprah, Forbes, MoneyGeek, Texas Monthly, NBC, Fox, CBS News, and NPR among others, and he has published well over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and 7 books. He is a former national Chair of the American Heart Association Ambulatory Quality Committee, and sits on multiple healthcare advisory boards. He holds a PhD in Management Science from the University of Lancaster in England, a Doctor of Education in leadership and organizational psychology from the University of Houston, an MBA from Baylor University, and he has achieved Fellow status in HIMSS, ACHE, and the American Heart Association.