We are fortunate to live in an era where innovation and rapid expansion has become almost a daily occurrence. Over the past 100 years travel has evolved from wooden carriages fueled by equestrian means to literal footprints on the moon and rover exploration on Mars. Healthcare has evolved from tincture of opium and bloodletting to miraculous transplants, stem cell research, and bypass surgery. Technology and innovation are all around us, the complex becomes mundane or the norm at lightning speed, only to be surpassed by the next “breakthrough.” Limits in healthcare no longer dictate our destiny, as we are constantly reaching for new horizons.
With innovation and expansion have we neglected or overlooked the basic? This was a question that hit me like a ton of bricks. Can you build and maintain a skyscraper while neglecting the foundation? Better yet, can we maintain our rapid expansion and improved outcomes in the healthcare industry while neglecting the basics? Or, can we catapult the level of patient care to unforeseen levels by redirecting our focus to what matters most? The patient.
Over the past decade, a “new and innovative” industry has emerged in almost every arena of society. This industry focuses on the consumer rather than the “throughput” or “final product.” Healthcare has not been immune to this industrial storm, focusing on patient-centered care and Studor principles. Somewhere along our journey, we discovered the direct correlation of patient communication and patient outcomes. Simplicity has become a revolutionary idea and literally a multi-million dollar business.
As a father, healthcare provider, and entrepreneur I often reflect lessons from my past. What is it they say about history being destined to repeat itself? This is a pattern that I’ve hoped to grasp prior to the inevitable cycle, but unfortunately, it has yet to occur. I remember lessons from my father of respect, common courtesy, and how to treat people. I recall observations of artful conversation that included non-verbal affirmation and the simple ability to listen. These observations or lessons were filed away deeply and forgotten as side notes or outdated practices while perusing my dream of innovation, growth, and revolutionary change. Fortunately, I’ve discovered that this personal interaction is the yeast in our loaf of exponential healthcare discovery.
Our horizons are limitless with unforeseen miraculous innovations. Technology is expanding at unforeseen rates that are hardly imaginable. The key to our success and implementation is to remain focused on what matters most, the patient. The “revolutionary” concepts of good two-way communication between providers and patients combined with our advanced technology will catapult healthcare and patient outcomes to levels of unimaginable heights.
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