Barlow/McCarthy Blog
Check back often to hear from our talented team of consultants. Topics covered include: Physician Relations, Physician Recruitment, Practice Marketing, Medical Staff Development, Community Health Needs Assessments, etc.
The Early Stages of Change: ADKAR in Action
By: Allison McCarthy, MBA | amccarthy@barlowmccarthy.com One of the frameworks I often use in coaching conversations is the Prosci ADKAR model, which focuses on the individual journey through change: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement. What I...
Strategic Recruitment Starts Long Before the Search
By: Mitzi Kent, RN, BSN | mkent@barlowmccarthy.com The difference between strategic and reactive physician recruitment often comes down to one thing: whether the recruitment team has the access and influence to educate organizational leadership before a crisis forces...
Partnership Beats PowerPoint: Building Recruitment Strategies That Actually Stick
By: Mitzi Kent, RN, BSN | mkent@barlowmccarthy.com “We’ve brought in consultants before. They gave us a 60-page PowerPoint report and left. Nothing changed.” I hear this more often than you might think. And honestly, I understand the frustration. Healthcare...
Leading Change From the Middle: Turning Ideas Into Momentum
By: Allison McCarthy, MBA | amccarthy@barlowmccarthy.com Leading change without direct authority is one of the most common, and most misunderstood, challenges in healthcare today. Strong ideas are important, but they rarely move forward on passion alone. What makes...
Access Is the Priority – So Why Are Referral Strategies Still Stuck in the Past?
By: Susan Boydell | sboydell@barlowmccarthy.com Health system leaders are being asked to show clearer returns on growth investments heading into 2026. In increasingly competitive markets, the ability to manage referrals effectively, not just generate them, is becoming...
Leading from the Middle: The Power of Presence Under Pressure
By: Allison McCarthy, MBA | amccarthy@barlowmccarthy.com Mid-level leaders are the glue that holds organizations together. They translate strategy into action, manage teams through change, and support executive leaders with insight from the frontlines. But it’s in the...
Leading from the Middle: Five Habits That Build Leadership Presence in High-Stakes Moments
By: Allison McCarthy, MBA | amccarthy@barlowmccarthy.com Picture this: you walk into a meeting where a major decision is on the table. The stakes are high, the room is tense, and every word you say will shape how others perceive you. In these moments, mid-level...
Leading from the Middle: How to Gain Senior Leader Buy-In Without Waiting for a Title
By: Allison McCarthy, MBA | amccarthy@barlowmccarthy.com One of the most common frustrations mid-level leaders share with me is this: “I know what needs to be done, but I can’t get leadership to take it seriously.” It is tempting to believe that once you have a bigger...
Effective Patterns vs Ruts. Are You Stuck?
Kriss Barlow RN, MBA | kbarlow@barlowmccarthy.com Field staff have such an “always on” role. There is internal scrutiny coupled with the need to impress discerning referring physicians, and just getting to them is a whole different discussion! It’s easy to fall into...
Leading from the Middle: A Case Study
By: Allison McCarthy, MBA | amccarthy@barlowmccarthy.com My client had served as a Senior Director of Ambulatory Operations for a large health system. Sitting squarely in the middle of leadership, this leader was responsible for bridging strategy from the top,...