Telluride – a retreat that gives us the gift of taking us out of time and space to examine the state of health care and to connect to a deeper place where ideas and visions are planted that will blossom into reality one day….hopefully soon.
This is my fifth summer as faculty with The Academy for Emerging Leaders in Patient Safety. Not being a healthcare professional, I feel honored to be able to contribute my skills to supporting the next generation as they grow into the healthcare leaders of tomorrow.
Today I was struck by the intelligence of the medical students, nurses, residents and others as they collectively delved more deeply into identifying what needs to change and how they can partake in transforming healthcare…to make it safer, more humane and more efficient. They explored how they can harness their personal best to make the systemic changes that must take place at all levels of the delivery system.
Gatherings like these are essential to providing the support and forum where young healthcare professionals can feel safe, supported, challenged and invited to come to terms with the serious problems and seemingly overwhelming shortcomings of healthcare delivery. They serve as a springboard for launching and sustaining their vision for wide reaching change.
I am also deeply moved by the veteran doctors, nurses, families of patients, writers and educators who are committed to the notion that a dedicated, intelligent group of dreamers, visionaries and fighters can contribute toward making healthcare transformation a reality. Being part of a vibrant, inter-generational exchange is invigorating, inspiring and I think gives us all great hope for the future.