Why When, We Win. Things Change.

For instance. Leadership at large hospital companies with business backgrounds will quite rightly tell you they are there to maximize shareholder profits. They use phrases like caveat emptor (buyer beware) and return on investment. Physicians, on the other hand, are medical professionals. They have a higher calling. Physicians take the Hippocratic oath. They use phrases like “first, do no harm.”  “Patient safety is paramount.”

When hospital leadership repeatedly cuts costs to maximize shareholder wealth, a hospital may no longer be safe. While the hospital company shareholders may receive a higher return on their investment and its leadership may make more money, complicit physicians may be endangering their patients and no longer complying with their professional oath.

For instance, if leadership reduces the number of nurses, employs more PAs and NPS in lieu of physicians or limits the number of nurses on a shift regardless of the patient census or acuity level, this may result in a decrease in the quality of healthcare.  

Lawsuits can expose the danger of these systemic problems. When jurors’ verdicts are large enough to bring in to question the efficacy of these practices, leadership takes notice. Shareholders too. Leadership will say something akin to “I don’t want that happening again, fix it.” Leadership and shareholders at other large hospital companies take notice too. Similarly, leadership at other hospital companies will say “I don’t want that happening here, fix it.” Suddenly, Hospitals are safer. Lots of them.

That’s why we say, “We win. Things change.” Because they do.  

Until next time
James Hugh Potts II
We Win.  Things Change.