Robert Fromberg
Editor in Chief, HFMA
This morning, David Gergen echoed Joe Fifer's call for courage in leadership for healthcare leaders and others. "We need to speak truth to power," he said at the general session. He quoted Joe Fifer on the pressures from all sides felt in health care and said, "We will feel these pressures--intense, relentless pressure--for the rest of our careers." He had two key messages for a rapt audience:
--The practice of leadership with courage is not only important in health care, but vital for the quality of life in our democracy.
--America is drifting toward a waterfall, and we need courageous leadership to truly address healthcare costs and other looming threats, including an "out of control budget," dependence on foreign oil, climate change, and competition from China and other Asian nations.
In response to questions, Gergen said that hospitals in general are seen as bureaucratic, but that people appreciate the care they receive at individual hospitals. He also praised the progress made at the VA and emphasized the importance of electronic health records in that success...and he stated that the government must help hospitals invest in this expensive technology.
Later today, I'll recount the story Gergen told about John Kennedy and one thousand Cuban cigars.
Update: 3:47 EST
Here is the story I promised earlier.
David Gergen also emphasized that humor is an important leadership quality--the ability to laugh at yourself, to see the irony in a situation. The example he gave was John Kennedy. One day, Kennedy called his press secretary, Pierre Salinger, on the phone and said, "Pierre, I need to talk to you."
"Yes, Mr. President."
"Now, I know you love a good cigar as much as I do."
"Yes, Mr. President," Salinger said, "I do."
"I'd like you to get me a good Havana cigar."
"OK, Mr. President."
"In fact, I'd like you to get me one thousand Havana cigars. And I need them by 11 o'clock tomorrow morning."
"One thousand cigars? By 11 tomorrow morning?"
"Right. I know you can do it."
The next morning, President Kennedy called Salinger. "Did you get those cigars?" the president asked.
"Yes, sir, I did."
"Good man," the president said.
Then, at noon sharp, President Kennedy went on TV and announced a trade embargo against Cuba.
