The values of an organization can hang in a nice picture frame on the wall, or they can be the true guiding principles for its beliefs and behaviors. During the coronavirus pandemic, Stony Brook Medicine demonstrated that our values are much more than mere institutional wallpaper. Our actions and activities demonstrated to our patients, our community and ourselves that they represent the essence of our character.
The Stony Brook Medicine values that emerged to the forefront during the pandemic, in particular, were compassion, respect and excellence. We provided compassionate care of our patients in their hours of greatest need, and we took good care of each other in the midst of an unprecedented public health crisis. We successfully bent down the coronavirus caseload, from a high of 435 patients on April 10 to only 15 patients in the hospital on Friday. And we did so in an environment of mutual respect and trust.
As a reminder, taking the first letter of each our values spells “iCARE” as follows:
• Integrity – We are honest and ethical in all our interactions.
• Compassion – We provide empathic care with attentive listening and affirmation.
• Accountability – We hold ourselves accountable to our community, to our organization and to each other for our performance and behaviors.
• Respect – We foster an environment of mutual respect and trust, embracing diversity in people and thinking.
• Excellence – We set the highest standards for safety, clinical outcomes and service.
Collegiality is the essence of who we are at Stony Brook. We work together to get things done, with a common focus on serving our patients and our community. We foster an environment where we make everyone feel welcomed, respected, included, cared for and safe as a member of our team.
As a result, the pride I feel in my service to you as Chief Executive Officer is overwhelming and humbling. I simply could not be more proud of the way you worked together and the care you provided to our patients under the most trying circumstances. Our clinical outcomes were excellent, helping Suffolk County have the lowest mortality rate among all counties across Downstate New York.
Now we prepare for a potential second wave, as our researchers race to find new treatments and cures. We know our work is not yet done. The fall or winter may bring new patient surges, as our community again looks to us to respond to the most challenging health crisis of the past 100 years. So it is especially important to pause now and say “thank you” for everything you have already done. We have truly demonstrated what “iCARE” is all about.
Carol