Guidance for Health Care Leaders During the Recovery Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic

A Consensus Statement
Taken directly from JAMA Network Open 

Question 

What leadership imperatives are most essential for health leaders following the emergency stages of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Findings 

In this consensus statement, 32 co-authors from 17 countries with expertise in various aspects of health leadership, health care, public health, and related fields outline 10 imperatives to guide leaders through recovery from the emergency stages of the pandemic. Key leadership capabilities and reflection questions are presented to guide leaders and to structure performance reviews.

Meaning 

Leaders who most effectively implement this framework are ideally positioned to address urgent needs and inequalities in health systems and to co-create a culture within their organizations that best serves its people.

The 10 imperatives 

1. Acknowledge staff and celebrate successes
2. Provide support for staff well-being
3. Develop a clear understanding of the current local and global context, along with informed projections
4. Prepare for future emergencies (personnel, resources, protocols, contingency plans, coalitions, and training)
5. Reassess priorities explicitly and regularly and provide purpose, meaning, and direction
6. Maximise team, organisational, and system performance and discuss enhancements
7. Manage the backlog of paused services and consider improvements while avoiding burnout and moral distress
8. Sustain learning, innovations, and collaborations, and imagine future possibilities
9. Provide regular communication and engender trust
10. In consultation with public health and fellow leaders, provide safety information and recommendations to government, other organisations, staff, and the community to improve equitable and integrated care and emergency preparedness systemwide.

Read full article:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2781729

Reference: 
Geerts JM, Kinnair D, Taheri P, Abraham A, Ahn J, Atun R, et al. Guidance for Health Care Leaders During the Recovery Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Consensus Statement. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Jul 1;4(7):e2120295. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.20295. PMID: 34236416.