It’s common knowledge that the essence

of patient loyalty is emotional commitment.

Once on that track, we come to the inevitable discussion of how to create it.

We agree that “WOW” moments make the difference. As an example, one hospital, upon discovering that the best nurses cried with their patients, leveraged this insight by providing the following list of trying:

• Take patient vitals
• Answer call light within 20 seconds
• Cry with each patient, once per week!

This hospital’s obsession with “how” completely obscured the “why.” We sympathize with the abject frustration of executives to create emotional commitment by legislating the steps of service excellence.

Employee Scripting and best practices certainly offer us insight regarding the “how’s” of patient care. They are expedient and easy to train. We can put them on a check list and monitor their progress.

But even the most complete checklist will never stack up against the impact of a simple touchpoint with a caregiver who authentically and passionately responds to the patient’s need.

Although they may be unable to articulate it as such, patient’s instinctively know the difference between a checkmark and an authentic human touchpoint. In our patient experience research, one mother wrote about angels when describing how a physician watched American Idol with her family.

At our most vulnerable moments, nothing less than authentic will do. Ironically, when the caregiver’s words and deeds are authentic, almost any will do. Authenticity is all about why we do what we do.

Why is the reason we would give up everything for our children.

Why is the reason we drop our defenses and to-do lists and give ourselves up to the moment, with a single, hurting child.

Why is the purpose, mission, and belief which give our life meaning.

For our best nurses, staff and physicians,

WHY is all about the patient and their family.

Perhaps we should stop telling them “how” and start asking them “why.”