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Statement of disclosure
The knowledge about this particular case is based on personal experience. It is therefore subjective and does not intend to criticize any stakeholder involved in this case. Rather the manuscript is investigating and identifying effective leadership skills in a health care environment of "drastic" changes. It further aims at evaluating whether the observed transformational changes could have been improved and what the next challenges in leadership might be and how they could be addressed efficiently.
Analysis and conclusions
The GZO case impressively shows how a CEO can improve the competitiveness of a hospital and proactively steer it through the policy changes within the Swiss health care system successfully.
Summary
Who?
The new CEO of a medium-size GZO hospital in Canton Zurich (Switzerland) prepares the organization for a more competitive environment and to guide it through fundamental changes taking place in the Swiss health care system.
What?
The Swiss Federal Government approved legislation for the reform of the Health Care Act affecting hospital planning and financing. The new legislation became effective from January 1st, 2009 and institutionalized implemented by all 26 Swiss Cantons no later than January 1st, 2012. The new hospital reimbursement system is based on diagnosis-related groups (DRGs). The licensing process for acute care hospitals will be competitive and based on efficient cost management and quality of health care.
Why?
The Swiss Government and the cantonal authorities hope to improve transparency and cost efficiency in the Swiss health care system. However, the competition resulting from new licensing may jeopardize the survival of non-profitable hospitals.
When?
A.G. takes immediate actions by (1) changing the legal status of the public hospital to a corporation which allows entrepreneurial management of the business and by (2) tailoring GZO's corporate governance to the new internal and external environment.
GZO Spital Wetzikon: a model hospital of the Canton Zurich
The GZO hospital is a publically subsidized regional Swiss hospital located in the Canton Zurich (see picture in Appendix).1 GZO is one of 25 of Switzerland's largest hospitals in the Swiss hospital landscape which comprises approximately 140 acute somatic hospitals (19 hospitals in the Canton Zurich) and provides health care services for Zurich's Oberland region consisting of thirteen small to medium size communities with a population of...