‘Game Changers’ at Nicklaus Children’s Health System

Nicklaus Children’s Health System faced numerous challenges, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including a shortage of paediatric specialists, workforce burnout and increasing demand for services. In response, the hospital launched the Game Changers programme in 2022, a transformative initiative designed to improve employee engagement, enhance organisational collaboration and reduce costs. Rooted in the Kahn Model of Employee Engagement, the programme promotes meaningfulness, safety and availability among employees, which has contributed to its success. The Game Changers programme involves 100-day ‘workouts’ aimed at addressing crucial issues such as waste reduction, quality improvement and revenue growth, resulting in a financial impact of over US$37m across six workouts. Beyond financial gains, the programme has fostered greater collaboration, developed leadership skills and created a sustainable culture of continuous improvement. The programme’s success highlights the importance of cross-departmental teamwork, senior leadership support and the creation of a positive, engaging environment to drive organisational change. As Nicklaus Children’s continues to evolve the programme, it serves as a model for other healthcare organisations seeking to enhance employee engagement and operational efficiency. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks. com/business/.