Leadership Perspectives on Operationalizing the Learning Health Care System in an Integrated Delivery System.
BACKGROUND
Healthcare leaders need operational strategies that support organizational learning for continued improvement and value generation. The learning health system (LHS) model may provide leaders with such strategies; however, little is known about leaders' perspectives on the value and application of system-wide operationalization of the LHS model. The objective of this project was to solicit and analyze senior health system leaders' perspectives on the LHS and learning activities in an integrated delivery system.


METHODS
A series of interviews were conducted with 41 system leaders from a broad range of clinical and administrative areas across an integrated delivery system. Leaders' responses were categorized into themes.


RESULTS
Ten major themes emerged from our conversations with leaders. While leaders generally expressed support for the concept of the LHS and enhanced system-wide learning, their concerns and suggestions for operationalization where strongly aligned with their functional area and strategic goals.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggests that leaders tend to adopt a very pragmatic approach to learning. Leaders expressed a dichotomy between the operational imperative to execute operational objectives efficiently and the need for rigorous evaluation. Alignment of learning activities with system-wide strategic and operational priorities is important to gain leadership support and resources. Practical approaches to addressing opportunities and challenges identified in the themes are discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
Continuous learning is an ongoing, multi-disciplinary function of a health care delivery system. Findings from this and other research may be used to inform and prioritize system-wide learning objectives and strategies which support reliable, high value care delivery.
George Washington University.
Wayne
W
Psek
Geisinger Health System.
F Daniel
FD
Davis
Geisinger Health System.
Gloria
G
Gerrity
Geisinger Health System.
Rebecca
R
Stametz
Geisinger Health System.
Lisa
L
Bailey-Davis
Geisinger Health System.
Debra
D
Henninger
Geisinger Health System.
Dorothy
D
Sellers
George Washington University.
Jonathan
J
Darer
Health Care Operations (HCO); Leadership; Learning Health System
J Gen Intern Med. 2014 Dec;29 Suppl 4:814-6
25355093
Implement Sci. 2008 May 29;3:30
18510750
Pediatrics. 2014 Jul;134(1):171-2
24935998
Health Aff (Millwood). 2013 Feb;32(2):321-7
23381525
J Comp Eff Res. 2014 Nov;3(6):635-45
25494570
J Gen Intern Med. 2014 Dec;29 Suppl 4:817-9
25355094
Health Care Manage Rev. 2007 Apr-Jun;32(2):150-9
17438398
J Gen Intern Med. 2014 Dec;29 Suppl 4:811-3
25355095
JMIR Res Protoc. 2013 Oct 29;2(2):e43
24168835
Ann Intern Med. 2012 Aug 7;157(3):207-10
22868839
Health Aff (Millwood). 2012 Sep;31(9):2068-73
22949457
Implement Sci. 2016 Feb 24;11:22
26912342
J Health Organ Manag. 2014;28(1):115-26
24783669
JAMA. 2014 Mar 19;311(11):1109-10
24643597
Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2010 Dec;36(12):552-60
21222357
Perm J. 2013 Fall;17(4):4-13
24361013