By Dr. Gulshan Sharma
Noun: a word used to identify any of a class of people, places or things. Verb: a word used to describe an action, state or occurrence.
No, I am not here to provide an English lesson!
However, I do think this is a good time to refresh our memories about the difference between a noun and a verb. And that difference is significant.
Best Care, for example, is a concept (noun) that we initiated in 2016 in order to move UTMB into the Top 20 ranking by the Vizient Ambulatory Quality and Accountability Study by 2018—an aggressive goal since we were ranked 76th at the time. Vizient rankings are based on combined scores in five areas that measure the overall quality of patient care and safety.
The original Best Care push came on the heels of University of Texas System Chancellor William McRaven’s outline of several bold initiatives—or “quantum leaps”—in System’s plan to provide Texas the very best in higher education, research and health care.
But Best Care is much more than a concept. It’s an action word, a verb. It’s the collective actions that each of us, every member of the UTMB family, take every day and in every shift to support our firm commitment to providing the right care for the right patient at the right time in the right setting for the best possible outcome.
It was that commitment that took us from a ranking of 76 out of the nearly 100 institutions ranked in 2016 to ninth in a year and then to fourth the next year. We stayed in the Top 10 the following year—the only institution in the UT System to do so three years in a row.
And then came COVID.
The pandemic had the whole world fighting for its life. And UTMB, like medical facilities everywhere, switched into survival mode. Critical staff and supply shortages coupled with the unprecedented influx of critically ill patients—and having to learn on the fly to keep up with the ever-evolving nature of the virus—skewed everyone’s scores.
Our ranking fell dramatically … 35th … 58th … 57th. But now COVID is behind us, and our rankings are on the upswing again thanks to the hard work of each and every one of you, whether you provide direct patient care or not.
Be clear: Best Care isn’t about the numbers. The numbers—while they do confer some degree of credibility to reassure patients they made the right choice in coming to UTMB—are really just an easily measurable reflection of what we do, how we do it and how well we do it relative to other medical institutions. Best Care goes beyond scores and beyond the scope of the areas scored by the Vizient rankings.
Best Care is a living, breathing and ever-evolving component of UTMB and the ultimate expression of our commitment to excellence.
That’s where the verb part of this comes in. That’s where you come in.
Best Care is an ongoing set of actions that guide every one us every day to ensure we are meeting the need of every patient—whether inpatient or outpatient, whatever the setting, whatever the need—to deliver the best possible outcome.
You’ll soon be hearing a lot about Best Care, as we kick off a re-energized campaign to refresh, reset and rewrite Best Care and bring into focus the way every single UTMB employee contributes to it. No matter who you are or what you do here, you are a critical contributor to Best Care. You are seen. You are valued. And you are appreciated.
In September, we’ll launch a new employee website where we can engage with one another and learn more about Best Care and how it all comes together thanks to each of you. Stay tuned to next month’s edition of the Health System Heartbeat newsletter for more information.
The year 2023 found us ranked 24th. In 2024, we’re recommitting to climbing back into the Top 20. Can the Top 10 be far behind? Number one? The amazing work that each of you does here every day makes it all possible.
Thank you.
Dr. Gulshan Sharma
Senior Vice President, Chief Medical & Clinical Innovation Officer