In most of the hospitals I’ve worked in, there is often a big chasm between clinicians on the ground and hospital administration in their ivory towers. Doctors and nurses see patients. Administration see numbers. My goal is to get the patient well. Their goal is to balance the books. We employed those with administrative skills so that we can be more efficient at doctoring and nursing. However, as it often happens, the managers become money managers and productivity directors. I have met many outstanding administrators whose visions and plans for the hospital are commendable. But I’ve also met many more who forget that their primary goal is patient outcome. This weekend, write an email or note to your non-clinical, hospital or practice managers. Thank them for their hard work and their efforts for the hospital or practice you’re at. Tell them how important is their work for the patients. Give them the right perspective on the purposes of the practice. Remind them, gently, that their primary goal is not profit, but patients.