Joining the HospitalImpact Family

Another example of the blogosphere opening doors that otherwise would remain closed: Tony Chen has offered for me to be a regular contributor to HospitalImpact.0rg. Hospital Impact is the most widely read hospital blog out there. It has already made for some conversations that otherwise would not have taken place.

Here is Tony's post announcing me to the HI.org family:

Jared Johnson to join Hospital Impact
note from Tony: you've recently seen the posts from Jared Johnson on The
CEO's Golden Question and color commentary on PwC 2007 healthcare trends. Today, we welcome him in as part of our blogging team - he'll bring unique perspective as a progressive, thoughtful PR professional. Please join me in welcoming him in to the Hospital Impact community!

by Jared Johnson
I count it as a great privilege to join Tony and the rest of the HospitalImpact family. I am the PR coordinator at a hospital in suburban Dallas. Ever since a Communications 101 class led me to pursue PR professionally, I have set my sights on the health care field. Something was always intriguing about all of the moving parts, plus the fact that health care affects everyone. I view health topics as a patient first and as a hospital employee second. It's one of the best ways I have learned to stay grounded and keep in mind the best interests of those we serve.

I have always been one to join in the conversation — not just to speak, but to listen. In fact, I'll admit that I usually gain more by hearing than by being heard. I am constantly in the middle of conversations — administrators speaking with clinical staff, clinicians speaking with patients, patients offering feedback to administration — it's an endless loop. I see words like "transparency" and "accountability," and I think how much more manageable these mandates could be with a more dedicated approach to communications. Fortunately, the blogosphere is a place where such communications can take place.

It may sound a little ideological, but I see an ongoing, intelligent conversation and a good dose of optimism as two necessities for making progress.