Managing Change Resistance: How to Get Your Healthcare Staff to Swipe Right on New Innovation

Hello, HITters! Change is a word that can send a ripple of anxiety through any organization, but in healthcare, it often feels like a tsunami. When you're introducing a new technology or workflow, getting everyone to "swipe right" on the innovation is far from guaranteed. But I'm here to tell you: it can be done. With the right strategies, you can turn resistance into enthusiasm and fear into empowerment.

Today, I will tell you how to manage change resistance in healthcare, ensuring that your staff not only adopts innovations but embraces them. It’s like matchmaking for your organization—getting your team to fall in love with the future of healthcare.

1. Start with the ‘Why’: The Power of Purpose

I know I talk about the "why" a lot, but it's a ] We know that change often feels like an unwelcome guest in healthcare. The daily routine is already challenging, so when a new system or technology arrives, it’s easy for staff to feel like they’re being asked to climb yet another mountain. This is why you need to start with the why. Don’t just tell your team what’s changing—explain why it’s changing and, more importantly, how it will make their lives easier.

Tip: Highlight how the new system will reduce the pain points they face daily—whether it’s reducing administrative burdens, streamlining patient records, or improving communication between departments.

Example: Mayo Clinic introduced a new electronic health record (EHR) system that initially faced resistance. However, leadership got staff on board by hosting town halls and explaining how the system would cut down on paperwork, improve patient outcomes, and allow clinicians to spend more time with patients—the focus on "why" turned hesitation into acceptance.

2. Involve Your Team Early and Often

No one likes to feel like they’re being dragged into a new system with zero input. People resist what they don’t understand or don’t help create. So, get your team involved in the process early. When staff feel their voices are heard, they're much more likely to become champions of the change.

Tip: Create focus groups that include representatives from different departments—nurses, doctors, administrative staff, even IT. Let them test new systems, offer feedback, and suggest improvements.

Example: At Houston Methodist, during the rollout of their telemedicine platform, key users from every level of the organization tested and tweaked the system. Their insights led to significant improvements before the full launch and minimized resistance.

Make Training a Personalized Experience

Training is where you win or lose the battle against resistance. If your training process feels overwhelming or irrelevant, you can expect pushback. But if you tailor training to each role and make it an ongoing experience, you’ll likely get buy-in.

Tip: Break training into bite-sized, role-specific modules. Make it easy for busy healthcare professionals to learn in short, manageable sessions. And offer continuous support—don’t assume that one training session is enough.

Example: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center used a "train the trainer" model, where super-users from each department were trained first. These super-users then trained their own teams, leading to a more personalized and peer-led approach. This method reduced anxiety and built trust among staff.

4. Celebrate Small Wins

Change is hard, but progress is motivating. Make sure to celebrate the small wins along the way. Every milestone reached, every problem solved, and every positive impact should be recognized and celebrated.

Tip: Create a change dashboard that tracks progress and showcases the new system's tangible benefits. Share success stories from departments or individuals thriving with the new innovation.

Example: When AdventHealth launched a new scheduling system, they celebrated each department that hit key milestones with shoutouts, small rewards, and feature stories in their internal newsletter. This not only boosted morale but also encouraged others to get on board with the changes.

5. Address Fears Head-On

Let’s be honest: fear is one of the biggest drivers of resistance. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear that a new system will make life more challenging. Your job is to acknowledge those fears and address them openly.

Tip: Host open forums where staff can voice concerns. Be transparent about the new system's challenges and benefits. Offer hands-on support to make the transition smoother.

Example: A healthcare organization in New Mexico faced major pushback when introducing AI-powered diagnostic tools. Leadership addressed staff concerns by holding Q&A sessions, where they could discuss how AI would support clinicians—not replace them. As fears subsided, curiosity grew, and soon, the staff began to see AI as an ally, not a threat.

6. Showcase Patient Impact

At the end of the day, most healthcare professionals are motivated by one thing: providing the best care possible to their patients. Showing your team how the new innovation will improve patient outcomes creates a powerful reason for change.

Tip: Share stories and case studies of how similar innovations have transformed care in other organizations. Show the direct link between the new system and patient satisfaction, recovery times, or overall health outcomes.

Example: When Kaiser Permanente introduced a new data-sharing platform, they shared examples from other hospitals where the system reduced medication errors by 20%. Seeing the impact on patient safety inspired healthcare workers to fully embrace the change.

7. Lead by Example

Your leadership team plays a critical role in setting the tone for change. If they’re excited, confident, and engaged, the rest of the staff will follow suit. However, if leadership is hesitant or distant, the staff will be too.

Tip: Ensure your leadership team actively uses and publicly endorses the new system. When leaders are fully committed, staff feel more confident in following their lead.

8. Create a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Lastly, remind your staff that innovation isn’t a one-time event—it’s an ongoing process. Build a culture where change is expected and continuous improvement is celebrated. The more accustomed your staff becomes to innovation, the less resistant they’ll be in the future.

Tip: Encourage regular feedback on new systems and make iterative changes based on that feedback. When staff see their suggestions implemented, it builds a culture of collaboration and trust.

Example: Geisinger Health created an "Innovation Hub" where staff could propose ideas for new technologies or improvements to existing systems. This empowered staff to become active participants in the innovation process and reduced resistance to future changes. Check out the Steele Institute for Healthcare here.

Final Thoughts: Get Your Team to Swipe Right on Innovation

In healthcare, innovation is non-negotiable. It's the key to better patient care, more efficient workflows, and a healthier bottom line. But getting your staff to embrace new technology takes strategy, empathy, and leadership. By communicating the “why,” involving your team, and addressing concerns head-on, you can turn resistance into excitement. And when that happens, innovation doesn’t just feel like change—it feels like progress.