For more than ten years, Texas Tech Physicians actively has promoted the SPIRIT values developed by a team within the practice and unanimously approved by the Texas Tech Physicians board. The values include: service excellence, patient first, integrity, respect, innovation and teamwork – and stand for SPIRIT.
Our SPIRIT values have been a tremendous asset in advancing the Texas Tech Physicians practice and pushing our team to a higher level of patient care and customer service. At least a portion of our progress on all of our key performance indicators can be attributed to the SPIRIT values that have been embraced by our employees.
In September, TTUHSC launched the introduction of a new “Values Based Culture” to all constituents – faculty, staff, students, patients and community members. These are seen on the bright red banners throughout the building and are presented by the Department of Human Resources as a part of the new Values Performance Matrix. Texas Tech Physicians and TTUHSC leadership are working together to standardize these values into every element of Texas Tech Physicians’ processes and will promote the five established values with TTUHSC: one team, kindhearted, integrity, visionary and beyond service.
Since the new TTUHSC values are 99.98 percent congruent with the Texas Tech Physicians values, it makes sense to make it easy for all to remember one set of values. After some discussions and meeting with a number of employees, that is exactly what we will do. Texas Tech Physicians support the new TTUHSC values 100 percent and proudly had the opportunity to contribute to their development.
Many teams at Texas Tech Physicians have welcomed the new TTUHSC Values Based Culture, including displayed values posters in their office for employees to sign. Unified efforts to represent “one team” with TTUHSC will improve health care in West Texas and beyond.
Steve Sosland, Chief People Officer for TTUHSC and leader of the values initiative, agrees that knowing and integrating our defined values helps us make better choices and transform our culture and stated that Texas Tech Physicians helped lead the way for TTUHSC to launch a journey to create a values-based culture for the entire organization.
Texas Tech Physicians recognizes the legacy of our SPIRIT awards and how much they shaped our practice. The SPIRIT recognition ceremony and awards will continue to be a part of Texas Tech Physicians, as will the SPIRIT 5 newsletter.
At the end of the day, it’s not the words per se; it is how we live them in our work and interactions with others that is important.
Brent Magers is Executive Associate Dean and CEO of Texas Tech Physicians.