Posted on 08/30/2009 7:48:11 PM PDT by teg_76
Diamond Principal of Healthcare
In the gemological world, the diamond is defined by the four C’s - cut, clarity, color, and caret weight. It is the hardest material known to man. For the sake of argument, let’s change this up a bit and redefine the four C’s as compassion, courage, conviction, and common sense. When applied to the world of healthcare, here also you will find some of the hardest moral decisions known to man.
Let’s consider three very old teaching fables: 1) the Lifeboat Theory, 2) the Serenity Prayer, and 3) an Engineer’s Rules of Problem Solving. You will find that, when combined, they provide an outstanding powerful tool to make productive decisions and real progress in solving the healthcare crisis. First, let’s review the basic tenants of each fable.
The lifeboat theory goes something like this: imagine you have just abandoned a sinking ship, much like the Titanic, and you find yourself in charge of a lifeboat that has a capacity of twenty people. However, the situation is complicated because you find yourself surrounded by small children. You have made a judgment call that the carrying maximum capacity is based on an average adult not a child. So you have taken twenty-six children onboard your lifeboat. Now you see four more children clinging to some debris and crying out desperately for your help. They are just a few oar strokes away. What do you do?
The serenity prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Lastly, according to Dr. Gilmore, an Engineer’s Rules of Problem Solving proceed as follows:
1) Determine that an actual problem exists.
(Excerpt) Read more at stopthis.org ...
Good thought experiments.
However, we don't have any real idea of the capacity of the lifeboat. Without this rather critical piece of information the pros and the antis are just talking past each other.
I don’t mean to be a “smarty-pants” but...
“Principle” = meaning a rule or a guideline.
“Principal” = meaning primary; or a Head Master of a school.
Easy way to remember: the Principal is my pal.
How about Communists, Cretins, Cronies and Crap Sandwich?
I wasn’t going to say anything, but ... well, now, I’m piling on. From the article “tenant” rather than tenet, and “antidotal” rather than anecdotal.
It is a good article, overall, though.
Candor, commitment, courage and comptence
These are what we were evaluated on in the Army.
It is not being a ‘smarty pants’ to correct nonsense. How does this rubbish get into print?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.