Looking for leadership during my hospital stay
I spent the last four nights in a hospital. I was surrounded by compassionate professionals. I have no doubt that I was surrounded by a team concerned for my health, comfort, and overall wellbeing. My freedom was restricted; I was interrupted constantly. I observed that the medical process of making a decision about my health care was ponderously slow.
Four medical doctors were assigned to my case. One doctor was a podiatrist – as I had an infection in my foot, this made sense. Another doctor was a specialist in infectious diseases. A third doctor was friendly enough, seemed to understand my situation, and I believe he was a staff physician for the floor, although his role in my care was never explained to me. I’ll come to the fourth doctor in a moment. I also had a wound care nurse who seemed to be talented in the physical care of my foot and the wrapping of my extremity before and after surgery.
Doctor Cali (not his real name) was the staff physician at the late hour I was admitted, and he was the fourth physician involved in my case. He entered my room with a commanding style of authority. There was some truth to his message, yet I recoiled at the manner he spoke to me. I had entered the hospital only when my personal physician told me that I should seek admission through the emergency room. He established a negative tone early with me; I found it very difficult to trust this man.
Fortunately, I never met Dr. Cali after my night of admission. I felt his authority. My trust radius retracted after spending ten minutes with him.
After an overnight stay, I met the rest of my medical team. My leg was checked for blood clots using an ultrasound device, and then my foot was checked using MRI technology. The data was collected, and my expert team went to work. Ponderously. One slow step at a time. Weak leaders have trouble making a decision when more information can be collected. No one person was ready to make a decision supporting my discharge, the facts were not all in! Yes, I could see the decision process chug forward while I waited in my humiliating hospital gown; however, the speed was too slow. I never knew who the decision-maker was in my case, this added to my concern; I did not know to whom I should address my situation. I was consulted only briefly daily after waiting hours in an impersonal room with my dignity reduced and very little space to myself.
I looked for leadership among the doctors on my case. How was a decision made? I know that each of these medical professionals had knowledge and asked powerful questions. Knowledge and analysis is not enough to create leadership; leadership also requires the will to act.
I was also surrounded by nurses and their technical support assistants. Here was the essence of leadership. I felt the compassion and humanity from the nurses. I could laugh with them and learn about them personally. They expressed interest in connecting with me, more than just a transaction, and a concern for me personally – I never felt like I was a “patient.” The nurses did not have full authority to act in my interests in the hospital. They had insight, effort, and time to make a difference. Organizations call on leaders to make decisions, and the nursing team did not make decisions regarding my care – they carried it out as best they could. Their humanity was important to me; the nursing team both had knowledge and compassion.
I wanted clear leadership in my care as I was hospitalized. The people with the most knowledge and authority were reluctant to make decisions – too many voices were part of the process. The people who saw me regularly, understood me, and brought compassion for my care were not authorized to act independently – except in a limited range of action. I believe that a compassionate level of decision-making authority would make the hospital experience better for any patient. I hope that future patients will get to participate with leaders in their care for their well-being.
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What are your strengths? Are you putting them to use profitably?
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Tell me about your career change experience (research for my book): http://bit.ly/7YhcMK
Four medical doctors were assigned to my case. One doctor was a podiatrist – as I had an infection in my foot, this made sense. Another doctor was a specialist in infectious diseases. A third doctor was friendly enough, seemed to understand my situation, and I believe he was a staff physician for the floor, although his role in my care was never explained to me. I’ll come to the fourth doctor in a moment. I also had a wound care nurse who seemed to be talented in the physical care of my foot and the wrapping of my extremity before and after surgery.
Doctor Cali (not his real name) was the staff physician at the late hour I was admitted, and he was the fourth physician involved in my case. He entered my room with a commanding style of authority. There was some truth to his message, yet I recoiled at the manner he spoke to me. I had entered the hospital only when my personal physician told me that I should seek admission through the emergency room. He established a negative tone early with me; I found it very difficult to trust this man.
Fortunately, I never met Dr. Cali after my night of admission. I felt his authority. My trust radius retracted after spending ten minutes with him.
After an overnight stay, I met the rest of my medical team. My leg was checked for blood clots using an ultrasound device, and then my foot was checked using MRI technology. The data was collected, and my expert team went to work. Ponderously. One slow step at a time. Weak leaders have trouble making a decision when more information can be collected. No one person was ready to make a decision supporting my discharge, the facts were not all in! Yes, I could see the decision process chug forward while I waited in my humiliating hospital gown; however, the speed was too slow. I never knew who the decision-maker was in my case, this added to my concern; I did not know to whom I should address my situation. I was consulted only briefly daily after waiting hours in an impersonal room with my dignity reduced and very little space to myself.
I looked for leadership among the doctors on my case. How was a decision made? I know that each of these medical professionals had knowledge and asked powerful questions. Knowledge and analysis is not enough to create leadership; leadership also requires the will to act.
I was also surrounded by nurses and their technical support assistants. Here was the essence of leadership. I felt the compassion and humanity from the nurses. I could laugh with them and learn about them personally. They expressed interest in connecting with me, more than just a transaction, and a concern for me personally – I never felt like I was a “patient.” The nurses did not have full authority to act in my interests in the hospital. They had insight, effort, and time to make a difference. Organizations call on leaders to make decisions, and the nursing team did not make decisions regarding my care – they carried it out as best they could. Their humanity was important to me; the nursing team both had knowledge and compassion.
I wanted clear leadership in my care as I was hospitalized. The people with the most knowledge and authority were reluctant to make decisions – too many voices were part of the process. The people who saw me regularly, understood me, and brought compassion for my care were not authorized to act independently – except in a limited range of action. I believe that a compassionate level of decision-making authority would make the hospital experience better for any patient. I hope that future patients will get to participate with leaders in their care for their well-being.
* * *
What are your strengths? Are you putting them to use profitably?
* * *
Tell me about your career change experience (research for my book): http://bit.ly/7YhcMK
Posted by Steve Broe at 12/21/2010 11:31 AM 
Categories: decisions, leader, Leadership
Tags: Steve Broe Leadership coaching
Categories: decisions, leader, Leadership
Tags: Steve Broe Leadership coaching
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