Daniel W. Jackson, FACHE Chief Executive Officer DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital
Entering the final months of any year is often paired with reflection and preparation. Fall is often a time when many people reflect on the year and prepare their vision for a move forward toward the beginning of a new year.
This year has certainly given us all pause for reflection. We have seen our city, state, nation and world challenged by an unpredictable and treacherous disease. We have all been challenged to grow and let go of norms that we were accustomed to. In addition to the experience of the pandemic as the CEO of one of the hardest-hit hospitals, I reflect upon my move to Michigan just over a year ago. I reflect and feel honored to have witnessed so many things over the course of the last year which affirm my belief in the people of this community.
WITNESSING GRACE
I’ve witnessed the heroic efforts of the Sinai-Grace team despite the risk to their personal health. I’ve witnessed people, who had families of their own, choosing to come to work daily to save lives. I witnessed people setting aside their own interests to help the people of the community they serve and love. Those are but a few things I have witnessed inside the walls of Sinai-Grace. Imagine my pride.
On the other hand, I have witnessed an overwhelming outpouring of support from the community despite the heavy media scrutiny we received. I witnessed generosity and support in the form of countless meals from organizations, families and individuals. I witnessed mysterious ribbons and bows adorning our employee parking lots from anonymous supporters. I witnessed people, armed forces and other hospitals cheering our very own team on in countless ways. Imagine my awe.
During a time that ushered in an avalanche of unknowns, human kindness permeated through our connections.
It was human kindness that cut through the clutter of media, quelled our fears of the unknown and permeated the eerily quiet streets surrounding Sinai-Grace. Kindness became our language of mutual care and helped us all prevail. It was a dialogue that showed the world that Sinai-Grace and Northwest Detroit are a community built on care.
GROWING GRACE – A COMMITMENT
Meanwhile, as we move forward into the Fall and Winter, the unknowns will likely remain a part of our landscape and they will undoubtedly be challenging to predict. Despite this, Sinai-Grace will remain clear and steadfast in our longstanding commitment to provide quality health care to our patients and community. For more than 100 years, this hospital and the men and women who work here have been a part of the tapestry of Northwest Detroit alongside our Detroit Medical Center sister hospitals and facilities serving South East Michigan. However, being present and providing health care is not enough. Delivering quality healthcare with compassion is what we will actively strive to achieve daily in order to provide the best possible medical outcomes to our patients and this deserving community.
Despite the pandemic, the world has been evolving through other changes. A collective awakening has been underway that has caused many to reflect on the meaning of our collective social responsibilities. In the same manner, Sinai-Grace holds itself to the same standard with active self-reflection, accountability and a commitment to continued improvement. Like every human, we cannot claim perfection, but we can claim our allegiance to this community and each patient we serve.
This requires self-awareness. This means we have to actively listen to our patients. This means we have to rely on data to provide insights that inform our planning. This means an acceptance of the changes needed to achieve the necessary improvements. Most importantly, this means we must have a team that believes in, and actively engages in, these efforts in order to elevate our 1) quality metrics 2) clinical outcomes and 3) patient satisfaction.
These three fundamental elements will be our lighthouses, our beacons of light that illuminate the way to a Sinai-Grace that not only withstands the test of time and pandemics, but thrives and improves despite all of the unknowns. This is not a short term goal. It is not a bold promise. It is a shift in the ‘how’ of what we do, it is an active commitment to constant improvement, constant compassion and constant presence in the community.
This focus on the fundamentals will fuel our work as stewards of this community because it will grow our existing pride and honor in serving this community – this focus on quality health care delivered with compassion is deserved and warranted, with or without a pandemic. We will apply all of our learnings and continue our focus on continuous improvement.
Join me as we Grow in Grace at Sinai-Grace by doing your part to maintain your health and safety. Visit www.dmc.org/our-response-to-covid-19 for the latest guidance on staying COVID-safe. To find a DMC doctor near you, call 888.DMC.2500.
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