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As systems evolve over time, their natural tendency is to become increasingly more complex. Studies in the field of complex systems have generated new perspectives on the application of management strategies in health systems. Much of this research appears as a natural extension of the cross-disciplinary field of systems theory. Since writing my 1st article for Managing Organizational Complexity in 2004, much has happened to further our understanding of complexity in healthcare systems. The growth of new computational methods in the fields of data science and data analytics has allowed scientists to identify signals or patterns in large complex data sets (big data) that in the past were seemingly hidden. Rather than relying on historical statistical methods to infer outcomes, these advanced methods combined with increased computer processing power allow machines to learn the structure of data and create artificial intelligence (AI). In our ongoing efforts to find solutions for complex healthcare problems, AI is becoming more and more an accepted method. The purpose of this edition of Managing Organizational Complexity is to define AI and machine learning, discuss the recent resurgence of AI, and then provide examples of how AI can provide value to healthcare with an emphasis on nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As systems evolve over time, their natural tendency is to become increasingly more complex. Studies in the field of complex systems have generated new perspectives on the application of management strategies in health systems. Much of this research appears as a natural extension of the cross-disciplinary field of systems theory. This article is the 3rd in a series of articles that focus on why technological complexity is increasing and strategies nurse administrators can use to successfully implement change in the face of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the implications of the concept of fragility in the healthcare systems for nurse executives. Topics include the impact of fragility on system behavior and ways to reduce it, recognition of fragile system behavior in an organization, and the two key factors that contribute to fragile system behavior, namely the uncertainty of events and the ability of organization to adapt.

The article discusses the Constructal Law and the concept of fragility and its relevance to nursing. Topics discussed include the continuing adaptation of nurses to a complex and rapidly changing environment, the definition of a fragile system as one that when exposed to volatile behavior, the potential for harm rises and the important implications of an entanglement of fragile and antifragile systems for nurse administrators such as the relentless drive to improve flow.

The article reports that studies in the field of complex systems have generated new perspectives on the application of management strategies in health systems. It mentions that large-scale electronic health record is estimated to have a billion lines of software code in it which thereby leads to complexity. It also mentions information on management of organizational complexity.

The article discusses a study which investigated the factors that affect hospital length of stay (LOS) among patients with heart failure (HF). The study included 285 HF patients, along with clinical physicians. It found that various factors influence LOS among HF patients. Study authors noted that LOS reduction can only be achieved by making changes in the hospital, shifting from traditional hospital-centric to patient-centric paradigm. They added that every factors in medical care are interrelated and any change in one part can have an effect on others.