Partnerships Could Be The Answer In Increasingly Complex World
We are living in an era when medical science and the complexity of health care are evolving far more quickly than our ability to follow such changes, much less absorb and understand all of them.
It’s an information overload not unlike the one we experience when scrolling through the hundreds of new posts that pop up in our varied social network news feeds throughout the day.
It’s simply overwhelming for us, both as individuals and as organizations.
In some ways, medicine came up with an answer to this kind of challenges decades ago by developing medical specialties. Over the years, the general practitioner has given way to physicians whose work focuses on everything from primary care and hospital medicine (hospitalists) to orthopedics and oncology. There are even subspecialties within specialties: medical oncologists, surgical oncologists and radiation oncologists, for example.
Medicine often works best when these various branches collaborate to deliver the highest quality of care to the patient.
That approach can apply to other organizations and businesses. Partnerships with outside experts and sector leaders can offer opportunities to discover and adopt best practices, exchange mutually beneficial ideas and expand world views.
That same philosophy is driving Scripps Health’s newly announced partnership with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Scripps has long been one of the largest providers of cancer care in the San Diego region, with an exceptional track record for delivering high-quality care.
But given the changes in health care and rapid scientific advancements, we decided it would be a tremendous benefit to our patients and this community to team up with MD Anderson, which has the best cancer program in the United States and possibly the world. We wanted to bring MD Anderson to San Diego and build on our program so that our patients can receive the best possible treatment here at home.
At its core, this venture is designed for both organizations to share their strengths with each other.
As a result, Scripps will expand and enhance our already strong cancer program by giving Southern Californians convenient access to MD Anderson's proven, research-based approaches to cancer care, including world-renowned treatment protocols, standards of care, extensive clinical trials and translational research.
As we evolve and expand our cancer program right here in San Diego, patients won't have to travel to Texas, Los Angeles or other locations to access the best cancer care available.
While it’s true that partnerships outside your organization can provide access to new information, fresh ideas and a higher level of expertise, you shouldn’t pair up with just anyone.
Look for a partner who shares your vision for the future and the core values of your mission. Identify complementary strengths that can be mutually shared. And create a set of common goals that guide the framework of the relationship.
Though success is never guaranteed, following these tips will get you started down the right path.