How One Health System Overcame Resistance to a Surgical Checklist

During a time when health care is undergoing the most sweeping change ever, health systems, not surprisingly, are struggling to overcome resistance to change. The natural reaction by leaders at all levels charged with implementing change is to fight the resistors. But research and the experiences of some organizations suggest that embracing those who resist change the most — empathizing with them, identifying the sources of their resistance, and helping them see change as positive — is far more effective. The experience of Michael Rose and his supporters in overcoming resistance from surgical teams at McLeod Regional Health System in Florence, South Carolina, to employing a checklist aimed at reducing errors and improving outcomes illustrates the benefits of this positive approach.