Excerpts
“The fog of war” is a term used to describe armed conflict.
It encapsulates the confusing nature of battle. It seems to us that we
could easily appropriate this term to the changing U.S. healthcare environment.
Indeed, as in war, there seems to be a general sense that the direction
we are going is like stumbling along as if we are in a fog. Like a disgruntled
GI, not everyone is happy about it. Others are encouraged and emboldened.
Whatever the case, we are on the move…to somewhere…in this
haze…and the environment is cloudy at best. The fog has not lifted;
and the direction is still in question. That said, leaders of organizations
can’t wait on others; they must chart a path and follow it. Knowing,
indeed, is not enough, action is necessary and demanded.”
“All leaders need to believe that health care is a sacred ministry.
Patients and family members come through the office or clinic doors entrusting
their lives or the lives of their loved ones to a caregiver. This is perhaps
the greatest responsibility for each and everyone working in health care
today … Knowing this ultimately gives the leader the ability to
enthusiastically lead each day, in both good times and bad. Such enthusiasm
will be contagious, creating, in turn, a large family of professional
and passionate followers"
“Will there be a healthcare crisis? We believe there already is a
healthcare crisis. Or multiple crises. There is too much money in the
healthcare system. This is due to high prices for many services and even
higher prices for drugs. The crisis is too much money that, in an ironic
twist, “insulates” professionals from scrutiny and questioning.
The crisis is in class roles occupied by physicians and leaders. The crisis
is in technology developed, acquired and, therefore, used, often- times,
ill advisedly and too frequently. The crisis is in consumers who are sheltered
from the real cost of the care that they receive. The crisis is in a system
of quality reviews that are all too often subjectively based, done by
peers of the professional being reviewed and lack significant consequences
for misbehavior or mistakes.”