It's a new year and a new blog! As part of my commitment to helping co-create ethical health partnerships, I am starting this blog with the purpose of:

• strengthening the core of healthcare -- the patient/physician relationship
• explore ways to create ethical relationships at every level of healthcare
• empower myself and others to increase the quality and availability of healthcare

I will say more about ethical health partnerships as I go along. I also encourage you to visit my website: www.ethicalhealthpartnerships.org for information on healthcare issues and on what I mean by that kind of partnership. What I will say is that each of us, whether patient, physician, nurse, insurance company, legislator, attorney, pharmaceutical company, media, medical board, doctor's office staff, technician . . . ALL of us, by each thing we say or do, are like the drop of water in the image at the top of this page. Each thing has ripple effects for the whole healthcare system. . . . and either supports and builds it, or distresses and weakens it. My purpose is to call all of us to mindfully strengthen it, to do our own part and to urge others to do theirs.

What I want from myself and anyone who posts here is to create a blog relationship where each of us are mindful about:
• the kind of ripple effects we create with what we say and how we say it
• an effort to not react or tear down what someone says if you disagree, but rather to express what you agree with, what your concern is with something you disagree with, how you would build on their idea or statement in a way that addresses both their concerns and yours . . . and why.

Let's keep the focus on building better relationships aand better healthcare at every level and doing so in a constructive way that builds upon each person's contribution.

I believe we have more power than we think we healthcare and it's time to use it.