So technically we are on winter break until Jan. 10. But on Dec. 30 I had my first of three bouts of what turned out to be severe gallbladder pain. It took three bouts and a final round so awful the ER staff first thought it was a heart attack to get me to the hospital. (I can be a little stubborn, you know.) They took it out yesterday. It was enflamed and full of about a dozen stones. I'm feeling 1000x better. Which is why I'm sitting in my hospital room writing this.
Also, I need to tell you about this remarkable hospital.
First of all, every single person I've encountered from the ER doc on introduced themselves with both a first and last name, told me a little about themselves and their expertise, and asked permission to do whatever it was they were about to do. Each and every encounter has been more than professionally excellent; it has been mutually respectful and unbelievably pleasant.
The highlight has been meeting Miguela. She knocked on my door yesterday afternoon. Big warm smile. "Hi, I am Miguela Garcia. I am your housekeeper. I have been working here for seven years! How are you doing today?" Pretty good I said. And I found that I was smiling back. "That's great," she said. "Would it be ok if I cleaned your room?"
The medical staff here is top notch and I'm thankful for that. But what has made this such an over-the-top experience is being cared for by people-docs, RNs, techs, staff-who obviously care about me, who love their work and respect each other, and who clearly know that what they do-whatever that happens to be-and how they do it matters.
It didn't surprise me when last night the charge nurse on my floor, Tzu-Lin, stopped by and, in response to my report about the great experience I'm having here, told me about the effort they've made over the past three years to become a more mission driven and values led hospital. "It's all about pride...in ourselves and our work...and our shared values...especially putting our customers first." (The word "patient," she explained, is too hierarchical. They're trying language they think will help them remember we are partners in the healing project, each with our own expertise and knowledge to bring to the relationship.)
They're working hard to make sure every single staff person is on board with their new values-led approach. Those who don't get it quickly weed themselves out and move on. The ones who usually have the hardest time getting it are the docs but in my experience here even they are on board. I have never experienced so many MDs with such great bedside manner...clear, patient, good humored, attentive, curious, respectful. Unbelievably so, actually.
Unexpectedly spending my winter break in the hospital sucks. But if it had to be, I'm thankful I ended up at the University of Arizona's Medical Center.
FOR DISCUSSION:
You might want to talk this over with your leaders and staff. These questions will help get the conversation started:
1. Do our people know that what they do matters? Are they proud of themselves and the work they do?
2. What are our shared values? Would visitors be able to identify them?
3. How do we show respect for each other and those we serve?
4. What drives us? Is it our common mission/purpose or something else?
5. How do we hold each other accountable to our mission? How are we making sure each new person we add to the team is brought on board? What can we do to become more purpose/mission driven and values-led?
PS. When I'm not sitting in a hospital bed I'm helping teams just like the one here at UMC articulate their shared purpose and values, and learn how to implement them together, whatever their work happens to be. Let me know if I can help you and the team you care about do this. The docs here tell me i'm doing great and will be outta here in no time. :)
