Knowing your destination is the first step in any journey. I am excited to share UVA Health’s recently revamped mission, vision, and values statements and their associated guiding principles. Every day, these provide us with a roadmap to guide us with all that we do.
Our new mission statement — the very reason why we exist — says that we are “transforming health and inspiring hope for all Virginians and beyond.” As an academic medical center, the first part of that mission statement is (wonderfully) obvious, however it’s the second part that I really love. While health is about healing, it’s also about giving hope that tomorrow can be better. Hope can be a powerful force and I’m glad we’re in the business of helping patients and their families dream of a better tomorrow while caring for their needs of today.
When we discuss what we want to be — our vision — we say that we are striving “to be the nation’s leading public academic health system and best place to work — while transforming patient care, research, education, and engagement with the diverse communities we serve.” While three of those components — patient care, research, and education — have been mainstays of UVA Health’s tripartite mission, the last part is a new addition. Engaging with the communities we serve is important, as it builds trust and confidence, the cornerstone of any relationship. Also, I like the phrase “best place to work.” We want our team members to enjoy working here, as that can translate to positive outcomes in all areas. Overall, it’s better for patients, students, communities, and collaborative research spaces.
ASPIRE is a worthy acronym for our values, which describe how we work together to achieve the aforementioned vision. “At UVA Health, we put the patient at the center of everything we do. We ASPIRE to create a culture of excellence, engagement, and trust through our values:
• Accountability
• Stewardship
• Professionalism
• Integrity
• Respect
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
The patient is, and will forever be, the center of our universe. It’s why we teach medical students; it’s why we research new medicines, therapies, and treatments; and it’s why we keep our doors open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Not to put too fine a point on it: It’s why we wake up in the morning. We are always here for our patients, and while they are under our care, they can expect to see each one of those values exhibited in our team members. As much as it is a promise to our patients, it is also an expectation for those who work here.
We tie this all in a bow with our guiding principles. We achieve our vision by:
• Putting the patient first in everything we do
• Remaining unwavering in our commitment to excellence in all missions
• Strengthening the well-being of our workforce through collaboration, inclusiveness, and teamwork
• Making decisions in a transparent, proactive, nimble, and data-drive way
• Eliminating duplication and unnecessary variation
• Maintaining financial discipline, rigor, and accountability
• Deepening ties to the community
This is a great list because it represents fairness and equity, honesty and responsibility, and caring and kindness. Being open with our methods allows us to make sure we’re all marching in the same direction to the same beat. At an institution this size, this can be incredibly helpful!
I am extraordinarily pleased with the work put into the new mission, vision, values and guiding principles statements. With these as our guideposts, I truly believe anything is possible.
Filed Under: Dean's Message, Featured