In·teg·ri·tynoun1. Adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.2. The state of being whole, entire or undiminished: to preserve the integrity of
the empire.3. A sound, unimpaired or perfect condition: the integrity of a ship's hull.What an old fashioned word, integrity. As you can see from the definition, it carries a different meaning when used in different circumstances. What does integrity have to do with health care? Quite a lot!
Adhering to moral and ethical principles
This is the foundation of medical practice and patient care. Physicians and other providers take an oath to provide the highest standard of medical care to all who come to them without regard of their economic situation, race, creed or color. As ancillary staff to those providers, all others here in our institution are bound by that same code of ethics. Whether you are a nurse, aide, clerk, lab technician, patient services representative, business office staff, coder or housekeeper, all of our faculty and staff should take pride in the principles and ethics of the people who make up this institution. We understand and appreciate our moral obligation to provide the best medical care possible to those in our community.
The state of being whole, entire or undiminished
As employees of this institution, we are indeed a whole. We strive to remain so and to remain undiminished in our service to the community and each other. We strive to preserve the integrity of Texas Tech Physicians. This is accomplished by doing what we do best—giving the best patient care possible, and providing a true teaching and learning atmosphere to provide for the future of medicine and patient care. The students and residents who pass through our institution will carry the mission and values they learn at the TTUHSC School of Medicine throughout their careers.
A sound, unimpaired or perfect condition
Like a great ship, our institution is made up of many individual pieces, and keeping each piece in perfect condition and maintaining its integrity is a responsibility for all, whether individually or as a whole. We accomplish this by remembering and practicing our SPIRIT values and the mission of TTP. Service Excellence, Patient First, Integrity, Respect, Innovation and Teamwork. Each is an individual piece of our institution. Each has its own value and importance, together making the whole. Each of us has our own value and importance, and together we make the whole.
Integrity: I think I like being a little old fashioned.
Sylvia received an autographed copy of Dr. Berk’s book “Anatomy of a Kidnapping.” Submit your articles about respect to brent.magers@ttuhsc.edu by 5 p.m. Friday for inclusion in next week’s contest.