Let's start here: Abortion is one of the most emotionally charged and divisive issues in American society. It elicits intense feelings shaped by strongly held moral, religious, and philosophical beliefs.
So you as an individual undoubtedly had your own, deeply personal reaction to the news that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade.
And because you work in health care, your personal reaction is likely accompanied by new challenges and uncertainties in your professional life. Abortion is a procedure provided by the health care system, so changes to the accessibility and legality of abortion will have implications for your patients, your organization, and your industry.
Advisory Board exists to offer practical guidance to leaders grappling with some of the biggest issues in health care. This is one of those issues.
To help, we've outlined initial steps to take and key questions to answer going forward. Keep an eye out in weeks to come for further analysis and guidance as our researchers dig more deeply into the implications for patients and population health, as well as the ripple effects on the delivery of health care across the ecosystem.
Leaders must start by getting a pulse check of their staff.
We don't suggest trying to match your position to the feelings of every staff member—that is likely impossible.
But if you understand your staff's feelings and fears, you can better anticipate needs and determine next steps, especially given that that these changes are happening during immense change fatigue, burnout, and rising turnover.
Questions for leadership teams:
Because no federal law protects or prohibits abortion, overturning Roe v. Wade leaves abortion laws to the states, about half of which have banned or placed varied restrictions on abortion. Multistate organizations will have to deal with a patchwork of varying regulatory and enforcement environments.
You'll need to understand the legal environment in the states in which you operate—as well as in surrounding states, which may send patients to or draw patients from your region. Then you'll need to model out the business impact.
Questions of particular relevance to provider leadership teams:
Now is a strange, uncertain moment: Roe v. Wade has been overturned, leading to a patchwork of different abortion laws and restrictions throughout the United States. Your patients are likely to be confused, especially if they already had appointments scheduled for abortions or want to make them in the coming months.
Organizations that offer or cover abortions should ensure patients understand where the law stands today and prepare to communicate where it will likely stand tomorrow.
Questions for leadership teams:
The Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade has fueled a public debate that will prompt many people—in their roles as patients, employees, and community members – to cast a critical eye at the ways that organizations support women's health more broadly. Providers must be equipped to take an integrative view of women's health, where maternal and reproductive health is just one way of supporting patients across their life span.
It's also worth considering whether your organization can take steps to support women more comprehensively—including the women on your own staff. Are you offering parental leave, for instance? Do you offer child-care subsidies and flexible working arrangements? These are by no means just "women's issues," but they are of particular importance to many women.
Questions for leadership teams:
The immediate future will be challenging for health care leaders. You must navigate not only charged emotions but also legal uncertainty, your staff's concerns, and potential impacts on your organization's strategy and operations.
Our most urgent advice is this: Be proactive. We'll be there along the way to support you with actionable guidance, including our landing page here, offering expert analysis and resources to help you understand the ramifications of the Supreme Court decision repealing Roe v. Wade.
Sarah Hostetter, Darby Sullivan, Natalie Trebes, Emily Heuser, Thomas Seay, and Tara Viviani contributed to this post.
The Supreme Court ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has triggered a cascade of uncertain consequences for health care leaders and the patients they serve, and has introduced unprecedented complexity to organizations that operate across state lines. Since the draft opinion was leaked in May, our researchers have been digging into the business implications for all stakeholders, how to support the clinical workforce, and the likely impact on pregnant patients and their families.
Let us help you distill the most likely scenarios in this moment of heightened uncertainty, and point you towards actions that will improve outcomes for your organizations, your people, and your patients.
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