Stand Against Management's Selfish Wind

Anonymous,

I retired from hospice at the right time.  Corporate toxicity was bad enough my last several years.  The poem below gave me solace during stressful times caused by executive whimsy, mendacity and greed.  I share it with you in the hope it serves as a balm.

The Oak Tree
by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr

A mighty wind blew night and day
It stole the oak tree's leaves away
Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark
Until the oak was tired and stark
But still the oak tree held its ground
While other trees fell all around
The weary wind gave up and spoke.
How can you still be standing Oak?
The oak tree said, I know that you
Can break each branch of mine in two
Carry every leaf away
Shake my limbs, and make me sway
But I have roots stretched in the earth
Growing stronger since my birth
You'll never touch them, for you see
They are the deepest part of me
Until today, I wasn't sure
Of just how much I could endure
But now I've found, with thanks to you
I'm stronger than I ever knew

Distorted executive priorities and inhumane behavior are the damaging wind which feels unceasing.  Sick leadership eventually collapses from the unnecessary weight it imposes on others.  Stand strong until that day.  Listen for the voice of God for his peace and mercy are always available.  Rest in his palm when the burdens seem too great.

Strange Tony

Margin Matters Over Customer Service

Strange Tony,

Customer service at our hospice continues to deteriorate.  Regional VP's and local management are well aware of the numerous ways our care is coming up short.  Their response is not the corporate tagline, "Our Care Matters."  Bone cutting staffing models, garbage-in/garbage-out technology and robust financial margins are more important.  To their credit our hospice staff have hung in there thus far.

Humana, despite making the home one of its top five strategies, considers Kindred at Home a management distraction.  While they don't care enough to pay attention our hospice is breaking under the weight of layers of aloof and disturbing management.

Cracks are growing in the dike.  I'm not sure how much longer staff can hold back the abusive tide.  Humana/Curo's cookie cutter mantra is growth.  Our hospice is to grow by shrinking. Staff, holidays, health care coverage and mileage reimbursement are all smaller.  What will the company shrink next?  Kindred at Home is synonymous with widespread management malpractice.  The chaos continues.

Anonymous