Cultivating healing relationships.

a r t h t H C g r g hen CEO Laurie Eberst, RN, was charged with opening the new Mercy Gilbert Medical Center in Arizona in 2006, he decided it was important to build an rganization—before the doors opened— hat would support the philosophy of proiding “radical, loving care” that focuses n caring for the caregivers, who in turn rovide high-quality, compassionate care o their patients. To create this healing culure and build these healing relationships, he began to hire nurses and staff who beieved in this philosophy. But this would ot be an easy task. The hospital would be haring 80% of its physicians with its sister acility, Chandler Regional Medical Cener. The challenge she faced was to bring hem on board with this philosophy that he was creating in this organization. She accomplished this through a proess of physician engagement that inluded ongoing satisfaction surveys, conucting monthly physician roundtables nd a “physician of the month” award, raining nurses and ancillary staff in “manging up,” and keeping open lines of comunication between all. When physicians eel part of the team, she says, they are less ikely to engage in disruptive behaviors. oday, Mercy Gilbert’s physician, nurse, nd employee satisfaction rates are at their ighest—they were named one of the “Best laces to Work in the Valley” as compiled y the Phoenix Business Journal, and more ecently Baptist Healing Trust of Tennesee rated Mercy Gilbert Hospital the No. 1 ealing HospitalTM in the nation, and berst was named Healing HospitalTM EO of the Year. As more patients request ercy Gilbert as their hospital of choice, hysicians, Eberst says, are recognizing he value of the healing culture they have reated for patients and staff. When we, at the Samueli Institute, dene healing relationships, we mean an enironment that supports social integration nd the therapeutic alliance to assist the ealing process. Empathy, compassion, ocial support, and communication form e