The Other Side of Disruption

Recently there has been SO much discussion about disruption. Amazon and CVS are disrupting the healthcare landscape, Uber is offering rides for appointments in an effort to focus on population health disruption, and inpatient hospitalization needs to be disrupted to minimize capacity strain on systems. No doubt the world we live in, providing care to those in need, is rapidly changing around us in ways we couldn't have ever imagined before these massive-scale system mergers began changing the way health care literally and figuratively looks across America.

Yet with all of this change looming on the horizon, some things have yet to feel like they've gotten the timely disruption that they deserve, and that frankly, is long overdue. My parents still don't understand their discharge instructions when they leave the hospital, and based on health literacy statistics, most people don't. And while that is problematic and everyone and their FACHE cousin is working on trying to fix it, it is a manifestation and symptom of a bigger problem. I am tired of talking about what goes on with our patients solely in terms of as we see it as health care leaders- as this disconnected endeavor of an hourly rate tied to an insurance premium equating in a payor shortfall still trying to fix patient teachback upon discharge. And conversely, I am obsessed with the ongoing and overdue endeavour of finding ways to help care givers and care leaders, with their diminished resilience and overwhelmed plates, reconnect to that connection with the people in our hospital beds.

So regardless of all of the disruption that is rolling around and creating new waves- it is not enough. It's large in scale and determined to maximize efficiency, yet to really capitalize on making health care better through these changes, I propose that we collectively- doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, and any one touching a life in a time of illness- create our own disruption. This is easy. "What!?" I know you're thinking. And that's just it- what are you thinking about "health care?" Are you thinking (as I have until recently) about the patients receiving health care in your system, with this unintended pseudo-sterile verbiage describing this type of consumerism? If so, we are failing right from the first word, regardless of Amazon and Uber swooping in to save us.

Think about this: When did you last go to Target and say "I'm a consumer looking for health and hygiene products." I haven't followed you into Target (even though you can often find me there), but I'm pretty sure you went in there and said "My skin is really dry and I hope I can find some thing that is fairly cheap and works so that I don't need to go to the dermatologist." It is about you being a human who can't stand dry skin- it's uncomfortable. That is how you probably describe your experience.

To really and truly disrupt care at any level means that we have to disrupt this generic terminology and start talking about it for what it really is- with a focus on the humans laying in your hospital space- the sick, vulnerable people like us who have come to us for something far more dire than dry skin, but to seek comfort, care, and hopefully, healing from our teams. We have made this such a cold experience beginning even with our words. Let's turn that upside down and sideways until our kids say "What is health care?" and we say "Oh that is a phrase used a long time ago."

I challenge you to disrupt your own vocabulary- and replace the word "health" with human when referring to what we do. We care for humans. We help give sick humans medicine, aid them to figure out a plan to attack what is attacking their bodies, we keep their privacy as we wash their back, and in some cases, we offer peace or help their families to find it. We care for humans. This is human care. And while our health literacy as a country is low and our discharge instructions are shoddy, any one will understand what that means.

Greta Rosler is a leadership coach, team work expert, speaker, patient experience optimist, and nurse at heart who works with leaders and teams to put their vision to practice and bring their goals to fruition. She is the Founder/President of Radius Leaders LLC, and Director of Patient Experience at Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton, PA.