30 Modern Healthcare | August 19, 2019
Letters welcome
Write us with your comments.
To submit a letter electronically,
send an email to [email protected]It’s time for leaders to lead
in advancing women in
healthcare“If the CEO isn’t engaged, it’s not
going to work.” That’s the last line
in the recent article, “Few women
reach healthcare leadership roles”
(ModernHealthcare.com, May 22).
The Aug. 12 cover story “Healthcare
leaders continue to overlook assault,
discrimination” (p. 12) is yet another
example of little change in the
status quo.
Where the lack of women in
healthcare leadership is a problem,
CEOs seem more engaged in keeping
their job, not doing it. These articles
could have been published 20 years
ago. That’s how long “needing” more
women at the executive level has
been “talked about.” The reason back
then? Not enough women in the
pipeline. What’s the excuse now?
About 80% of the healthcare
workforce is made up of women,
according to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. But fewer than 20% hold key
leadership roles, according to KatieBell, Korn Ferry global account lead
for the healthcare sector. There’s just
too much to lose for those in power
to make sure women are promoted
in healthcare, where the majority of
healthcare decisions are made by
women. (According to the U.S. Labor
Department, women make 80% of
healthcare decisions in the U.S.)
Women’s value system is different
and accountability is of greater value
to women. Saying there’s no time for
diversity and inclusion efforts is how
to keep the old boy network intact.
Where’s the leadership? Boards must
insist on action and hold management
accountable. Let’s go already!
Oh, and where to look? Once again,
nursing was ranked the most trusted
profession in a recent Gallup ethics
survey. The annual poll of Americans
found that 84% of respondents rated
the honesty and ethical standards
of nurses as high or very high. More
than 90% of nurses are women. And
for the second consecutive year,
women made up a majority (51.6% in
2018) of those enrolling in medical
school, according to the Association
of American Medical Colleges.
Linda Galindo
President
Galindo Consulting
Half Moon Bay, Calif.Let’s use caution before
alleging ‘bullying’ in
physician trainingRegarding the article “1 in 7
internal medicine residents are
bullied” (ModernHealthcare.com,
Aug. 13), I would like to inject a note
of caution before arriving at a firm
conclusion regarding “bullying” as
reported by physician trainees.
In my varied career spanning
30 years, both as clinician and
healthcare administrator, it is clear to
me that there is a profound difference
between expressing significant
displeasure or disappointment at
repeating fundamental mistakes
that have potentially life- and limb-
threatening complications and actual
“bullying.”
I have personally witnessed nurses
and physicians whose response to
being corrected in the high-stakes
endeavor of healthcare is self-righteous
indignation. Instead of taking personal
responsibility for committing repeated
mistakes or being called out for taking
shortcuts in clinical work, there are a
subset of individuals who subscribe to
the theory that “the best defense is a
good offense.”
I urge caution when interpreting
the conclusions of this article.
Sadly, there are bullies in all walks
of life, but let us not misinterpret
the responsibility of the trainer to
evaluate and correct the trainee.
Perhaps it is harsh to say, but our
responsibility is to protect current
and future patients. This is not a
popularity contest. No one enjoys
being called out for committing
mistakes.
Let’s get both sides of the story
before advocating for some
fundamental change in how we train.
Hold the true bully accountable,
absolutely, but do not allow a failing
trainee to avoid the unpleasantness
of being corrected by claiming
harassment. The stakes are very high.
Dr. Paul Franke
Longmont, Colo.10 0
Most
Influential
PeopleSend nominations for
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the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare for 2019.
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deadline for nominations is Aug. 26.
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For more information on the judging criteria and documents needed to
submit a nomination, visit ModernHealthcare.com/MostInfluential.