Drawing from the insights of biology, sustainable healthcare systems should prioritize robustness over optimization

[en] The concept of performance has gradually become established in health policies. Presented as necessary and positive, it is often reduced to efficiency, which results in policies and management styles aimed at optimization. While they are supposed to guarantee the sustainability of our healthcare systems, these practices have made them fragile. Insights from the life sciences help us understand why. Indeed, biologists observe that living beings do not prioritize optimization but robustness. To cope with fluctuations, a robust organization operates with redundancies, apparent waste, heterogeneity, organized fluctuations, slowness, and hesitation. It functions sub-optimally. This article offers a theoretical reflection and management directions for more robust healthcare systems.

Disciplines :

Nursing Science

Author, co-author :

LECOCQ, Dan ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM) > Department of Life Sciences and Medicine (DLSM) > Medical Education

External co-authors :

Language :

English

Title :

Drawing from the insights of biology, sustainable healthcare systems should prioritize robustness over optimization

Publication date :

01 October 2024

Journal title :

Nursing Philosophy

ISSN :

1466-7681

eISSN :

1466-769X

Publisher :

Blackwell, Oxford, United Kingdom

Issue :

25;e12510

Pages :

1-9

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Development Goals :

3. Good health and well-being
11. Sustainable cities and communities

Available on ORBilu :

since 12 September 2024

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