Fulcrum for the Future: The Creation of a Values-Driven Culture

The efforts of a small children's specialty hospital to prepare for a difficult period of restructuring in the marketplace by using the organization's core values as a force for direction, stabilization, and leverage are described.

Abstract

This article describes the efforts of a small children's specialty hospital to prepare for a difficult period of restructuring in the marketplace by using the organization's core values as a force for direction, stabilization, and leverage. A best practices model was used to identify values that were a central part of the hospital's cultural heritage but were also critical for ensuring future institutional success. Principles for values definition and implementation provide guidance for other health care institutions.