The origins of healthcare-aviation comparisons

by Jonathan H. Burroughs Many people both understand and are frustrated by the seemingly endless comparisons between healthcare and the aviation industry. Many claim such comparisons are short-sighted, superficial and inappropriate, whereas others feel the changes the airline industry had to make several decades ago are strikingly similar to those healthcare grapples with today. Like healthcare, aviation was founded upon the cultural ideals of individual autonomy, hierarchy, and the pursuit of perfection by individuals dedicated to personal achievement and service. Airline captains, like military test pilots were considered the ultimate source of expertise, knowledge and judgment, and other members of the crew were considered subordinates whose role was to serve the leadership of their captain. On March 27, 1977, the chief pilot, corporate vice president and director of safety at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Jacob Van Zanten, ran the landing gear of his Boeing 747-200 aircraft through the fuselage of a Pan American 747 during takeoff, causing 583 deaths on Tenerife Island off the coast of Portugal. How did this happen? The results of a multinational aviation investigation team found the causes of the worst aviation disaster up until that time included: Poor communication: There was a language barrier between ground control and the aircraft, and the KLM flight never received proper clearance to take off or depart. Rushed procedures: The flight had been delayed signifi...
Source: hospital impact - Category: Health Managers Authors: Source Type: blogs