Views of institutional leaders on maintaining humanism in today’s practice.

Qualitative survey 32 institutional HC leaders at 7 US medical schools. Asked to identify factors that promoted or inhibited humanistic practices. Leaders supported vision statements, policies, organized educational and faculty development programs, role modeling including their own, and recognition of informal acts of kindness to promote and maintain humanistic patient-care. These measures were described individually rather than as components of a coordinated plan. Few healthcare leaders mentioned plans for organizational or systems changes to promote humanistic clinician-patient relationships.