Organization development in health care: A good fit?

This chapter discusses a range of theories of organizational change, the issues and challenges in achieving transformational change, and the paucity of evidence concerning its effective implementation in health care. It explores the potential of one particular approach, Organization Development (OD), for addressing these issues. The chapter reviews the origins and core elements of Organization Development (OD) and discusses the development of these concepts, mainly in the private sector. It also explores the use of OD in health care, affording attention to historical critiques, and considers the appropriateness of the approach for health care settings. The chapter presents two differing cases of OD in health care and considers the change outcomes. It draws out some key themes relevant to health care and argues that OD has significant potential for starting and supporting change in health care.