“Culture is to an organization what soul is to a person” *
We are living fast-paced days and it´s easy to realize in different sectors, including in Healthcare, that individual agendas take more attention and priority than collective agendas. Our society is sick and consciously or not, we are all affected by the events that surround us.
If our society is sick, Corporate environments are not shielded against this sickness. In all social circles, the comments are similar, individuals complain about burnout, leaders are disconnected from the reality of the operation; there is lack of support from superiors and colleagues and devaluation of the individual or collective contributions. In this context, unreachable goals and low level of commitment in the workplace expose sick organizations.
As professionals in the healthcare sector, some questions stand in the way: What principles are we cultivating in the workplace? What culture are we building in work environments that, by the way, consume the biggest part of our days? What mission compels us to do more and better?
Dr. Henry Mintzberg’s quote at the beginning of this post is striking to me. * It is profound to think that culture is related to an organization in the same way that the soul is to an individual, because an individual without a soul is an empty being.
Even conscious of the noble mission of taking care of patients, if healthcare organizations do not care for their cultures, they will have collaborators running from one place to another, pressured by countless deadlines and budget constraints without energy and motivation to invest in improvements that reflect the principles that we want for our lives and our society.
As a stimulus to fostering good principles of fellowship in our organizations, I invite you to reflect on a concept described by Dr. Henry Mintzberg in the book “Managing the Myths of Health Care”*
It is the concept of Communityship, a word that does not exist in English. Comunityship expresses a spirit of collective engagement where everyone has equal value for the achievements of the organization independent of titles or positions.
If we value Communityship, the mission is bigger than hierarchical structures, the leadership is focused on cultivating trust in the relationships, management staff is engaged and engages others, performance is measured with fairness and good sense, the organization is more collective than individualized and the organizational culture is healthy and sustainable.
Communityship for organizations implies a collaborative human vision where engagement is demonstrated by everyone’s personal commitment. With aligned goals and focus on a relevant mission, it is possible to build a healthy, balanced and socially responsible work environment in healthcare.
* From Henry Mintzberg “Managing the Myths of Health Care” Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc (2017) ISBN 9781626569058 pg. 188
Dear Reader, in the text below, you will read an inspirational story written by my guest writer Esther Khor that shows how a community-driven initiative can improve quality of life for the individual and the community. Read and comment!
Technology and Independence
by Esther Khor I June 14, 2018 I
When you think of independence, you may think about self-governance but what about technology? Likely not, but for many people technology became a tool to support independence.
My friend Walt Lawrence will be celebrating 50 years of being mechanically ventilated. It was 1968 when he sustained a spinal cord injury from a shallow diving accident. As a 17 year old, he was an athletic hockey player working towards his commercial pilot license.
After Walt’s injury, he was paralyzed from the neck down. Walt was initially placed in an iron lung to assist his breathing. For many individuals with no respiratory function, it was typical to be confined in the iron lung all night. In the daytime, a rocking bed would be used for 8 hours to manipulate the diaphragm for chest expansion. Walt was no different, and he was on the bed rocking back and forth to breathe.
Iron lung (night) Rocking bed (day)
During that time, Walt felt “attached to the institution” due to his ventilation needs. This institutional life was not for him. Not only did Walt want to live in the community, he strongly believed in contributing in the community.
As technology in respiratory care evolved, smaller ventilators made moving out of the institutions a possibility. With the support of his family and friends, Walt left the institution. He left with a vision to improve the journey home for many others in similar circumstances.
Walt, along with his many ventilated peers spearheaded a non-profit program to support independence in the community.
Their non-profit program became British Columbia’s first respiratory outreach program for individuals needing mechanical ventilation and independence in the community. The outreach program became a unique platform where program users were involved in respiratory equipment purchases, peer driven mentorship and membership on the board of directors. For over 15 years, program users have come together with their many skills in strategizing, accounting, counselling and law to manage the outreach program.
Rapid improvements with technology have made a significant impact towards Walt’s independence. He now has a ventilator that weighs 12 lbs and has access to a cough assist machine that moves secretions out of the lungs. In the last few years, other technological items like the Goggle home have allowed him to have greater control with his home devices. With the Goggle home, Walt can check his stock prices, open his door, listen to his favourite book and connect with his family with ease. Technology has come a long way since the 1970s and so has Walt’s presence and influence to contribute in his community.
12 lb portable ventilator that allows ease of travel Google Home unit that Walt pairs with his home devices
Walt has his doctorate and currently serves as a Peer Advocacy Counselor for spinal cord injury patients at GF Strong Centre in Vancouver, BC. He is also on the school board where his daughters attend high school. Walt’s 50 year milestone of living with ventilatory needs while shaping services in the community is definitely one to celebrate.
