In today’s post-pandemic healthcare environment, many leaders find themselves asking a hard question:
“Am I actually managing this organization — or am I just trying to keep it from falling apart?”
It’s a fair question, and an important one. Because the difference between managing and surviving is often what separates thriving facilities from the ones always playing catch-up.
What Does Survival Mode Look Like in Healthcare?
Most administrators and clinical leaders don’t recognize survival mode until they’re deep in it. It tends to sneak in gradually — especially when turnover is high, regulations are shifting, and there’s never enough time.
Here are some of the telltale signs:
- Crisis management has become the default. The focus is always on solving today’s problem, not preventing tomorrow’s.
- There’s no time to step back. Leaders spend more time putting out fires than building systems or coaching staff.
- Turnover creates instability. When key roles like Director of Nursing, MDS Coordinator, or therapy leadership are frequently vacant or changing, it’s hard to regain momentum.
- Compliance becomes reactive. Audits and surveys feel like minefields instead of tools for improvement.
- Data is reviewed too late. Lagging indicators dominate conversations — but they rarely drive change fast enough.
Survival mode is exhausting. And unfortunately, it often becomes the norm instead of the exception.
What Does True Management Look Like?
When an organization is well-managed, there’s still plenty of work — but there’s less chaos.
Here’s what that shift looks like:
- Leadership is strategic, not just operational. There’s space to think ahead, not just react.
- Staff know the expectations — and meet them. Clear training, accountability, and support make all the difference.
- Problems are addressed at the root. Systems and workflows are constantly refined to prevent repeated issues.
- Compliance is baked into the culture. Instead of scrambling before a survey, teams are always ready.
- Leading indicators drive performance. Real-time data informs decisions — and allows for course correction before things go off track.
Making the leap from survival to management isn’t just about hiring more people or having the right software. It’s about rebuilding control and clarity into the day-to-day work.
Why It’s Hard to Make the Shift Alone
Even seasoned leaders struggle to pull their teams out of survival mode — not because they lack the skill, but because they’re too close to the chaos.
When you’re living in it day after day, it becomes difficult to see the bigger picture or spot the patterns that need to change.
That’s why many high-performing organizations bring in outside perspectives not just to “consult,” but to actually help reset the structure, priorities, and systems needed to operate from a position of strength again.
Final Thought: Ask Yourself This
If you’re unsure where your organization stands, try this gut check:
If you stepped away for a week, would things run as they should — or fall apart?
If it’s the latter, you’re likely in survival mode. And that’s not sustainable — not for your team, your outcomes, or your reimbursement.
