The Hardest Problem We Face in Healthcare

I've often been asked what the hardest problem is that we face in healthcare. I believe PATIENT CENTRIC healthcare as we practice it is a failed model. Clinicians focus on serving the patient only when they are touching the patient.

This does not make any sense. As an ER Physician, I can't take care of the patient by myself. It takes a team. To complicate things even more, that team is often necessarily comprised of individuals who work for different health care entities.

I can't count the number of conversations I've had where a clinician focuses only on the patient and their interactions with the patient, instead of focusing on the patient's entire journey and the whole TEAM providing the care.  

Simon Sinek sums up the problem well:  "A culture is strong when people work with each other, for each other. A culture is weak when people work against each other, for themselves."

What is the culture like in your region?  Do healthcare providers focus on serving the patient and themselves instead of the patient and the fellow team members along the patient's journey?

This is a real problem in healthcare.  Like it or not, we are part of a team.  We need patient AND people centric healthcare.  As an industry, our culture must focus on serving the patient AND our fellow team members helping to serve the patient.  It's about PEOPLE.