At McKinsey, around 400 of our colleagues who advise leaders in the health sector are clinicians themselves. And many still practice, like emergency department (ED) physician and Partner Dr. Laura Medford-Davis.
Her shifts in the ED give her a frontline view of the needs of health systems, payers, and public-sector healthcare leaders. She sees firsthand patients’ barriers to accessing care, pressures on clinicians that lead to burnout, and care coordination challenges.
“I still practice emergency medicine because I value helping someone in a moment of need,” says Dr. Davis. “But my work at McKinsey lets me address the reasons they needed that care in the first place.”
On World Health Day, her work reflects a broader truth: Meaningful healthcare transformation is strongest when shaped by those delivering care—ensuring that system redesign ultimately translates into better outcomes for patients.
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