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Disclosure: Petrelli has not reported disclosure of relevant financial information.
A few years ago, our healthcare system developed core values and behaviors from the grassroots level. This was the brainchild of our President and Chief Executive Officer. Janice E. Nevin, MD, MPH, I’m a family doctor.
All caregivers from all levels of the organization participated and provided their opinions.
The theme developed was “We are guided by the values of excellence and love to serve together.” That’s right, the word love.
I had a hard time worrying about love in the medical environment. I have no problem loving my nuclear family, extended family, friends and some of my colleagues, but I had a hard time aligning “love” with the patient’s territory.
“Tiamovelo”
Growing up in an Italian family where love is rampant, hugging and kissing, it seems strange to me. When the first visitor entered our house and ate standard 6 hours of Italian food, the greatest joy my mother had was seeing everyone finish everything she cooked. It was that. When she left, she hugged all of them. That was also true for my uncle and aunt. The word goodbye to me after each of their visits was “Tiam obello”.
I discussed my difficulties with our Chief Medical Officer. His recommendation was to think of compassion, not love. Bajinga! Immediately the light bulb went out in my head. The problem has been resolved.
These values of love and excellence from a compassionate point of view make sense to me. Under the category of love, our healthcare system has made a practical statement that:
- We embrace diversity and pay homage to everyone.
- We tell the truth with courage and empathy.
- We strive to listen, understand and act in good faith.
The category of excellence contains the following statements:
- We use resources wisely and effectively.
- We seek new knowledge, seek feedback, and embrace change.
- We are faithful to our words and carry out our commitment.
These are just a few examples. Very simple, but very powerful.
Significant impact
These effects have been significant over the last eight years. I have seen the culture of the campus change because of these values and actions. Psychological safety environments are created in many areas of the healthcare system.
Importantly, these values are not only printed on paper, but also hung on the wall. They are practiced daily and called at every meeting. You can’t have a conversation without taking action or core values.
It may surprise those who know me as a shoot New Yorker from the hips that I have accepted and adapted to that behavior. Even my wife noticed a change in our home environment. Now, let’s say it’s not as dramatic as my work environment.
I don’t know if this dramatic cultural change happened at another institution or if something similar exists. If not, it is advisable to develop a grassroots approach within the organization to develop such values and behaviors.
This cultural change has also led to a surge in patient satisfaction in many areas of the healthcare system. But everyone knows that culture doesn’t change overnight, so there’s still a lot to do.
We would like to share many of these core values and actions with you, so don’t hesitate to email me at the address below. You and your colleagues will work in a better environment, and, equally importantly, your cancer patients will benefit tremendously. As you know, life is short. Give yourself the benefit of doubt.
Chao. Take care.
For more information:
Nicholas J. Petrelli, MD, FACS, Bank of America is the Medical Director of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute in ChristianaCare and the Associate Director of Translational Research at the Wistar Cancer Institute. He is also the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Surgical Oncology. Today’s Hem Onc.. He can be contacted at npetrelli@christianacare.org.
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