The Unglamourous Truth of Success

Editorial by John Sackett, President and CEO of Adventist HealthCare

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month reminds us of the importance of routine screenings like colonoscopies. Quite frankly, a colonoscopy is not glamorous. Yet this standard procedure saves lives every day because someone chose diligence over delay, discipline over convenience, and consistency over complacency.

That kind of steadfast dedication is what you do every day – and what makes Adventist HealthCare where it is today. Our quality outcomes are stronger, our operational performance has improved, our patient experience scores are higher and our team member engagement is rising. None of this happened by chance. Our success is the result of deliberate continuous improvement. We have cultivated standards and process maps to ensure best practices are followed – day in and day out – not by luck, but through disciplined effort.

Yet the very success we celebrate brings a new challenge: the temptation to relax. When things are going well, it can be easy to lose the urgency that fueled our excellence today. Complacency rarely announces itself loudly – it slips in quietly through small compromises and fading focus. That is why the Bible’s teaching resonates so strongly with our Vision to be the trusted choice for exceptional care in every community we serve by reminding us that, “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities” (Luke 16:10, NLT).

This passage reminds us that excellence is built through small actions. Whether it’s following a checklist, reviewing data or reinforcing how we do things in alignment with the AHC Way – every detail matters. Faithfulness in these “little things” is what enables us to deliver high-quality care consistently.

Other challenges to providing reliable care also arise every day, such as changing regulations, evolving technology and rising expectations from those we serve. The solution is the same: diligence in the details. We cannot abandon what works simply because it is no longer “fresh” or because a new trend appears. We must remain faithful to our disciplined processes.

I am grateful for your shared commitment to our RISES Values every day, including your Integrity to follow our standard processes. Thank you for your trustworthy dedication that enables the best healing outcomes for all we serve.