Change management
Workforce and Leadership
Definition. Change management is the structured approach to preparing, supporting and guiding individuals and organisations through change.
Explanation
Kotter’s eight-step model, from creating urgency to anchoring change in culture, remains a widely used reference (Kotter, 1996). Resistance to change is not only organisational: patients can also resist AI-based care, which requires attention to psychological factors (Sobaih et al., 2025).
In health care, change efforts often fail because they underestimate professional autonomy and existing culture.
Related concepts
Organizational culture Digital transformation Implementation science Transformational leadership
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References
Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change. Harvard Business School Press.
Sobaih, A. E. E., Chaibi, A., Brini, R., & Abdelghani Ibrahim, T. M. (2025). Unlocking Patient Resistance to AI in Healthcare: A Psychological Exploration. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 15 (1), 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe15010006.
Cite this entry: Kurutkan, M. N. (2026). Change management. In The Health Topics glossary. https://healthtopic.org/glossary/change-management/
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- Diffused Leadership: An Introduction (101) 1