Most health systems — whether religious, secular, for-profit or nonprofit — have a mission statement that outlines their ideology and goals. Defining a system's mission, vision and values can increase staff engagement, boost participation in hospital initiatives and provide a clear message to the community about the organization's direction.
Brenda McCormick, CFO of Children's Minnesota in St. Paul, told Becker's Hospital Review why health system leaders should stay true to their organization's key concepts, especially during challenging times.
Question: As 2022 comes to a close and health systems prepare for 2023, what do you anticipate? What advice do you have for healthcare leaders?
Brenda McCormick: 2023 will mark three years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the things we've learned over this time is that anticipating what will happen next in healthcare is not an exact science. However, we've also learned we can be flexible and make decisions that put us in the best possible position to meet the needs of our patients, prepare for illness surges, including the next potential epidemic or pandemic. This means we will continue to invest in our efforts to recruit, attract and retain highly qualified staff; further advance our digital initiatives; and utilize the Children's Minnesota continuous improvement methodology to reduce redundancies, drive standardization and increase effectiveness. At Children's Minnesota, our vision to be every family's essential partner in raising healthier children is front at center of every decision. My advice to others is to stay true to your organization's mission, vision and values and take the necessary steps to advance care for your patients and community.