After 38 Years in Healthcare, I Have to Ask: Have We Lost Our Way?

Has healthcare leadership…

• Become too complicated?

• Become too focused on data?

• Become too focused on the balance sheet?

Have we, as healthcare leaders, lost our way?

I recognize that this is a bold question to ask. But after 38 years in the healthcare profession, I believe it is an important and honest question that every healthcare leader should be willing to consider.

As leaders, we are constantly focused on productivity, efficiency, and financial margins. We become consumed with identifying solutions that will quickly reduce expenses, streamline our workforce, and generate additional revenue.

We pursue technology solutions that promise to better measure efficiency, improve productivity, and maximize profitability, often at the lowest possible cost.

And somewhere along the way, we begin to measure return on investment almost exclusively in dollars and cents.

But have we become so focused on the business of healthcare that we are losing sight of its true cornerstones—our people and our relationships?

At its most fundamental level, healthcare is about human connection. Yet, it seems we seldom take the time to fully acknowledge its importance.

We increasingly refer to our patients as consumers and describe our workforce as our greatest expense, rather than recognizing our people as our greatest asset.

We know that strong human connections between healthcare providers and their patients contribute to better patient outcomes.

We know that strong relationships between healthcare organizations and their workforce can reduce burnout, improve retention, and foster a greater sense of purpose.

Throughout my career, I have frequently heard healthcare organizations proudly proclaim, “We Put Our Patients First.”

But I often find myself wondering:

How can we truly put our patients first if we do not make relationships and human connection a priority?

As healthcare leaders, we have a responsibility to demonstrate to our teams that they are valued, that their contributions matter, and that their work has meaning and purpose.

We must be willing to bring humanity into our decision-making processes rather than relying almost exclusively on data and financial metrics.

This does not mean abandoning our responsibility to ensure financial stability, operational efficiency, or organizational sustainability. These responsibilities are essential to our ability to deliver high-quality care.

But it does mean having the courage to make decisions that appropriately balance the best possible care for our patients, the financial health of our organizations, and the well-being of the people who make that care possible.

Our goal should be to build healthcare organizations where our workforce feels energized, motivated, valued, focused, and positioned to succeed.

Because financial performance and operational excellence should never come at the expense of the very people who make them possible.

After 38 years in healthcare, I remain convinced of one fundamental truth:

Our greatest asset is not our facilities, our technology, or even our financial resources.

Our greatest asset is our people.

As healthcare leaders, we must never forget that.