Over the years, I have looked at a lot of hospital ads, reviewed loads of brochures and newsletters, and read more than my share of annual/community supports. There are three words that are usually omitted from these materials.
- Trust
- Accountability
- Guarantee
While it is true that in the inexact science that is the art of patient diagnosis and care, there can be no absolute guarantees of full recovery, I have always wondered why, in our promotional materials, that we have not asked our patients, their families and the communities we serve, to trust us to do the right thing. I understand that there is such a thing as medical malpractice litigation, but that does not mean we cannot, or should not, be accountable for doing the best we can, each day, every day.
In the new world of healthcare, where health systems and hospitals will be competing for the right to manage their well care under a still-to-be-defined concept called population health management, I believe those words will take on a new importance.
After all, we really are asking our communities – our neighbors and friends — to trust us, right?