Rally Point

Several years ago, as part of my military training, I took a course called C4 (Combat Casualty Care Course).  The course started at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) with the American College of Surgeons' two-day Advanced Trauma Life Support course, followed by a three-day training exercise in the field at Camp Bullis in San Antonio, Texas.  We learned how to perform battlefield triage, as well as the initial evaluation, resuscitation, and stabilization of trauma patients in austere environments.  We also learned how to set up and lead a battalion aid station and coordinate evacuation of trauma patients in combat conditions.  

Our C4 course instructor and unit's (our class was split into smaller units of about 10-12 students each) Officer in Charge (OIC) was an Army Ranger and Blackhawk helicopter pilot, who was very enthusiastic about showing us what it was like to be in the infantry!  We moved through the countryside in full camouflage (including face paint!) in tactical formation (i.e. silent and steathy).  It was during these "troop movements" in tactical columns that I learned about something called a "rally point" from our OIC.  As defined by the U.S. Army, a "rally point" is a place designated by the unit leader (usually at the squad, platoon, or company level) where the unit moves to reassemble and reorganize.  As I reflect on the state of the health care industry today, my mind immediately went back to the concept of a "rally point".

All of us need a place to relax, recharge, and get away from the everyday concerns of the world.  I used to have a place across the street from the hospital that I called my "happy place" (really, it was just a quiet bench in a park) where I would occasionally go have a cup of coffee and escape the stresses and challenges of the work day.  But that's not what I am talking about here.  Let's go back to my analogy.  If the military unit gets separated or has to withdraw from a difficult situation, the soldiers know that they should find their way back to the "rally point" - once there, the unit can re-group and plan a counteroffensive.  The same is true for all of us in health care.  We need to go back to what we are doing well, re-group, and plan our counteroffensive to return back to where we were pre-pandemic - and in all truth, to a place better than where were were pre-pandemic!

For me, my "rally point" may have occurred yesterday.  I was sitting to the final presentations from our most recent class of "Improvement Scholar" graduates.  It was so great to see the engagement and enthusiasm from the graduates, but it was even better to see how their colleagues came to support them!  There was one area of our hospital that had really been struggling for a long time until relatively recently.  One of the graduates from that area presented her project, which was incredibly successful.  I counted at least 25-30 other members from her team who were there to support her and cheer her on! It was great to see, and it took me back to those days at Camp Bullis when I first learned about "rally points."

I think leaders need to find their own "rally point" - look for the small wins, really anything that you can build momentum from and help your team turn things around for a better future.  We've all been through a lot these past three years.  It's time to go to our "rally point", regroup, refocus, recharge, and move forward!