A Lesson In Establishing Organizational Culture
Palmetto Health Hospital’s Vision
To be remembered by each patient as providing the care and compassion we want for our families and ourselves.
Palmetto Health Hospital’s vision ensures all patients are treated with genuine care and respect. The vision, however, does not only apply to the care of individuals while in the hospital’s care but once they leave and return back to their communities. To take part in the care of individuals upon their departure, the hospital has taken steps to incorporate community service values and practices into its culture. The hospital’s current culture, however, is based on the following 5 pillars of performance:
People: Be the employer of choice
Service: Exceed the expectations of all we serve
Quality: Create a culture of quality that results in consistent top clinical performance
Finance: Achieve financial performance necessary to support mission, vision and goals
Growth: Maximize responsible growth to achieve mission.
To instill a strong community-based culture, the hospital will add a community pillar of performance to emphasize the importance of taking an active role in its welfare. In addition to using 10% of the hospital’s annual profits to give back to surrounding communities, beginning October 2012, all departments are required to set community goals and employees will perform a small amount of community service. The governmental and community relations department will also offer an array of volunteer opportunities through the hospital’s community service campaign, For Goodness Sake.
I vividly recall many classroom discussions about culture and its impact on the operations and success of the organization, and was excited to relate my classroom experiences to what I am doing in my internship. This professional work experience has not only taught me the importance of organizational culture, but I am learning how to create it.
Creating organizational culture is a strategic process that requires much planning and careful execution. When Palmetto Health understood the importance of community, they took the necessary steps to embed it within its culture by creating a community pillar and requiring all future hospital goals to include a community component.
