Common Implementation Hurdles

People Challenges:

• Resistance to change from staff accustomed to traditional approaches
• Skill gaps in modern development practices and healthcare IT
• Role transitions as responsibilities shift in agile models
• Clinician engagement balancing patient care with development input
• Cultural adaptation to transparency and empirical process control

Process Challenges:

1. Balancing agility with compliance in a regulated environment
2. Integrating with legacy procurement and budgeting processes
3. Transitioning from project to product mindset and funding
4. Establishing effective feedback loops across the organization
5. Coordinating SAFe implementation with ongoing operations

Technical Challenges:

• Legacy system integration complexities
• Technical debt management during transition
• Establishing CI/CD pipelines in healthcare environments
• Implementing automated testing for critical systems
• Balancing innovation with reliability for clinical systems

Mitigation Strategies:

• Start with experienced agile coaches to guide implementation
• Create early wins to demonstrate value and build momentum
• Communicate extensively about the why and how of changes
• Provide robust training and support during transition
• Use metrics to demonstrate improvement and adjust course