Finding New Ways to Solve Familiar Problems
In his role as Director of Strategy and Innovation for a private health care insurer in the Netherlands, Erik-Jan Wilhelm is all too familiar with the industry's key challenges. He and his team are constantly seeking creative solutions for improving quality, expanding accessibility, and controlling costs. To find out how today's industry leaders tackle these issues, he attended Managing Health Care Delivery at Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education. He discusses some key takeaways from the program.
What were your objectives when you applied to this program?
In my current position, my team and I struggle to find answers to today's greatest health care challenges. I realized that we were looking for new answers in the same old places, and that we needed new knowledge from an international perspective. A colleague of mine who attended the program previously was very enthusiastic about the insights he gained. He would frequently offer different perspectives on enormous health care puzzles. With this in mind, it made sense for me to apply and attend as well.
Which insights strongly resonated with you?
I work for a health care insurer in a country where coverage is mandatory for everyone, so I found the Oregon experiment to be particularly relevant. We often think of the terms health, health care, and health care insurance as being more or less synonymous. But, in actuality, they are not. The most important determinants of health in a population are housing, work, and education—not health care insurance. In fact, insurance does not necessarily improve the health of a population. For me, the discussion we had in class about the Oregon experiment clearly defined the dilemmas we face in health care.
How is this program beneficial to executives in the health care industry?
I thoroughly enjoyed the case study method. It was invaluable to look at a specific challenge or problem along with classmates from all over the world. Their diverse backgrounds and experiences lead them to identify different causes and solutions. Additionally, the interaction between faculty and participants is unique. There is no time to lean back. I not only learned from the program's theoretical insights, but also discovered through the case study method new ways of looking at the complex puzzles that confront me in my work.
How does the modular format of the program contribute to the experience?
The modular format gave me time to reflect on what I learned as well as prepare for the next module. I really enjoyed working with the HBS open knowledge platform, where we discussed and commented on issues posted by classmates. It was a great way to interact and work on assignments between modules, and that made the experience more like a seven-month course, which helped our group grow closer.
How are you applying what you learned back at your organization?
Some of the insights from the program have been easy to integrate in my daily practice. For example, I gained a new perspective on merging hospitals and our role as a health care insurer. During the program, I discovered a new way of looking at strategy. That helped me detect a major flaw in my earlier work—no one could explain our strategy in a few words because we had made it far too complex for anyone to understand. My team and I are now in the process of revising our strategy using the tools I learned at HBS.
What advice would you give to future participants?
I have two pieces of advice for them. First, come prepared. The great thing about being on campus is that you have time to socialize with your fellow participants from all over the world, and being prepared when you arrive gives you the time to do so. Second, if you are not a native English speaker and your English is a bit rusty, take conversation classes through Skype or elsewhere before your start the program. Participating in the discussions, in class and in your living group, is an essential part of the program experience—and you don’t want to miss out on this.