Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The LBJ Chief Executive Officer, Moefaauo Bill Emmsley has called for unity amongst the hospital staff.

“Pulling together and not against each other is what we need at LBJ to remedy our current healthcare delivery predicament.

“Though as staff members, we need ‘fuel’ to sustain our long and arduous march towards the overarching goal, and to counteract impediment of our journey, which has debilitated the ‘patient centered’ mission in terms of providing the highest quality and safety care.

“Sure, steadfast and hope are the symbolic ‘petrol’ for all employees, regardless of your assigned roles and responsibilities at the hospital,” said Moefaauo.

His message was delivered in the hospital’s newly launched newsletter, Taulasea.

Appointed eight months ago, Moefaauo said “paradoxically when each cog of LBJ’s complex ‘machinery’ starts to run astray independently from the whole, inter-dependency is compromised, then the ‘process’ of descent begins in earnest, the machinery runs inefficient and spits out undesirable outcomes, and at the end, it impedes our noble cause.

“Unfortunately, LBJ is ‘hemorrhaging’ from a thousand cuts every day.

“While the concept of ‘working together’ is not new, practicing it is more difficult than preaching, as human nature often intervenes in favor of ‘self-interests’ tendencies over operating as one unit,” he noted in his message.

Moefaauo said consequently, the ‘weak’ would often fall victim first to the accoutrements of the day followed by others until no one is bold enough to stand up for the right thing.

“Ironically, these same tenets translated into the Samoan language Fa’amaoni, Lotomau, ma le Fa’amoemoe, occupy a more virtuous place in and have poignant effects of cultural context — sure, is the personification of honesty and confident; steadfast, epitomizes dedication and perseverance; and, hope, symbolizes unfettered ‘optimism’.”

“From an administrator’s standpoint, ‘self-preservation and egocentric’ have no place in LBJ,” he states, “except for the unconditional commitment to our patients’ wellbeing.”

The LBJ CEO continued, “Thus, under my captainship, let us all commit ourselves in rowing our boat in unison, towards a pre charted course, and using sure, steadfast, and hope to energize our journey.

“Anything less than that is counterproductive and futile, ‘only the person who is not rowing has time to rock the boat’ — Jean-Paul Sartre.

Moefaauo summarizes his message by stating that “working together and taking [a] healthy dosage of sure, steadfast, and hope, as [an] antibiotic, will take us to the promised land.”

The newsletter was launched last week with the sole purpose to effectively communicate to the LBJ staff, according to its tenets.

According to the LBJTMC, they want their words to endure, and what better way than through a newsletter.

“This is our coconut wire, a tool to be used in effectively communicating with all – Medical, Nursing, Finance and Facilities and Works staff in the hospital.

“Our newsletter will document a treasure of information, fond memories, and shock and awe moments.”

“When you pick up a newsletter dated five years ago or more, you are going to say “Wow, I look so young in this picture.

“Dare we say, ahem, a few pounds lighter, too? Shock and awe.

“You will be shocked at how the hospital changes from one year to the next, what machines were used, what services we have, the appearances of structures and rooms.

“But you will be awed at the progress, services and medical equipment we want to achieve and have.”

“Our doctors will also have their own columns with medical advice and information, even weighing in on “toala, fue saina and nonu, etc.,” diagnosis from other sources.

The newsletter staff note that this is an opportunity to tell LBJ’s story “by effectively communicating with all LBJTMC staff as well as the general public it serves … Our words will endure, and it will do so through the Le Taulasea Newsletter.”