It’s well acknowledged, is it not? Health care organizations and institutions are facing difficulties, some more so than others. Nonetheless, all are contending with what appear to be overwhelming obstacles. Demand exceeding resources, deteriorating cultures and disengaged personnel, along with pervasive blockages and a lack of flow, are merely a few of the recurring issues.

Significant funding, large-scale initiatives, and brilliant minds have all been directed toward the dilemma. The outcome? If a solution existed, we would have implemented it a long time ago.

So what can provide assistance? Clearly, continuing along the same path or adhering to the same formula we have always utilized (but with greater effort!) is not going to yield results. What was that famous Einstein quote about insanity again?

In the setting of highly skilled, talented, and dedicated individuals adhering to the same established routines and schedules without success or the ability to shift the paradigm, let’s reflect on the British Cycling team. In 2003, they had been, to say the least, remarkably unsuccessful for more than a century. Over the last century, they had secured only a single Olympic gold medal, and no British cyclist had ever clinched the 110-year-old Tour de France.

At this juncture, Dave Brailsford, a former professional cyclist and MBA, was appointed to lead this underwhelming team. However, Brailsford had a distinct approach compared to his predecessors. His strategy wasn’t to arrive with a grand “solution” or to instigate bold and progressive changes. Instead, Brailsford aimed to focus on minor adjustments in every aspect of team operations to “aggregate marginal gains.”

In all facets of cycling, and in the cyclists’ lives, he sought areas for improvement by 1 percent. He believed that when combined, these incremental enhancements would culminate in a significant boost in performance.

Some areas of focus were clear (tires, gears and other mechanical equipment, more aerodynamic suits); however, others encompassed nutrition, sleep quality, and even the cyclists’ handwashing techniques to mitigate the common cold. Every element of preparation, training, and performance was scrutinized without the expectation of a remarkable breakthrough or solution, but with the possibility to enhance by 1 percent.

The outcomes from this strategy were telling. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the British Team secured 60 percent of all gold medals in cycling. In 2012, they excelled even further, setting nine Olympic records and seven world records. During the decade starting in 2007, a British cyclist won the Tour de France five times.

Is there any significance of this narrative to our current health care challenges? Could organizations transition from concentrating on “fixing” major issues (or worse, failing to act due to feeling overwhelmed) to instead examining every aspect of health care and striving for a 1 percent improvement? Would this be beneficial? I believe it would.

When contemplating what areas of focus could be, there appear to be clear components such as optimizing operating theatre time and technical procedures, minimizing infection rates, and accelerating the delays in patients being seen in emergency departments. Naturally, all these are already areas of emphasis in hospitals.

However, countless other factors in care are overlooked, unrecognized, or dismissed, which also influence performance. These aspects can encompass the efficient movement of patients, eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy, and implementing effective IT systems. In fact, any aspect of the organization. Additional factors that may seem esoteric to some yet are, in my experience, vital for a high-functioning organization include communication styles, intra- and inter-team harmony, staff support, inclusion, the creation of belongingness and organizational pride, and the list continues.

Can each of these be enhanced by 1 percent? Absolutely. And will the cumulative gains result in a superior organization with improved clinical outcomes and healthier staff? I think the answer is clear.

It is crucial to acknowledge Brailsford’s (now Sir David Brailsford’s) prior interest in the Japanese concept of Kaizen or continuous improvement, “Forget about perfection; focus on progression, and compound the improvements.”

Brailsford also remarked that when this process was adopted, with a collective desire to discover ongoing small improvements, there was a contagious uplift in morale, enthusiasm, and culture within the team.

Perhaps there are insights here for health care.

Simon Craig is an obstetrician-gynecologist in Australia and author of From Hurting to Healing: Delivering Love to Medicine and Healthcare.