"When you face those problems, you have a couple of choices, right?
You can say, these problems are too big for me and I can't solve them. Or you can say, these problems are going to persist unless I do something about them"
— Dr Kedar Mate, President and CEO of the Institue for Healthcare Improvement
Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
In this episode, President and CEO of the IHI, Dr Kedar Mate discusses his approach to complex systems, values-based leadership and the improvement toolbox. He begins by reflecting on his upbringing and the formative years that impact his values. While working for Partners in Health, he saw first-hand how to approach complex problems while working in Peru.
He goes on to highlight the importance of using values-based leadership and the utility of the Quality Improvement (QI) skill set. Next, Dr Mate elaborates on some of the challenges with QI, as well as some of the successes with nationwide healthcare models.
We conclude with his reflections on taking on the role as the leader of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).
Follow Dr Mate: Twitter/X, Linkedin.
About the guest: Dr Kedar Mate, MD, is the President and Chief Executive Officer at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and a member of the faculty at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Mate’s scholarly work has focused on healthcare quality, strategies for achieving large-scale change, and approaches to improving health equity and value.
Resources mentioned in the podcast:
Dr Mate’s podcast Turn on the lights
Basics of Quality Improvement - The Science of Improvement Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Cycle
Partners in Health Website
Netflix Documentary on Partners in Health - Bending the Arc
Background of Dr. Paul Farmer
Contact information: If you have any feedback, questions or if you'd like to get in touch, reach out at jono@clinicalchangemakers.com
Music attribution: AudioCoffee from Pixabay.
Ep1: Complex Systems & the Improvement Toolbox | Dr Kedar Mate