Seattle Children's and Hospital language for "the best"

Seattle Children's Mission from the website:

http://www.seattlechildrens.org/about/mission-vision/

Our Mission

We believe all children have unique needs and should grow up without illness or injury. With the support of the community and through our spirit of inquiry, we will prevent, treat and eliminate pediatric disease.

No arguments with that mission....

Our Vision

We will be the best children's hospital.

• We will provide patients and their families excellent care with compassion and respect
• We will provide superior, accessible, cost-effective service
• We will attract and retain the best talent at all levels of the organization
• We will be one of the top five pediatric research institutions
• We will be the nation's premier pediatric educators
• We will achieve worldwide prominence by integrating patient care, research, education and advocacy

BUT, the Vision?

We will be the best children's hospital.   Why?

We will be the nation's premier pediatric educators.  Why?

We will be one of the top five pediatric research institutions.  Why?  Does top 6 mean you stink?

We will achieve worldwide prominence by integrating patient care, research, education and advocacy?  Why?

WHY, WHY, WHY?

the best, premier, top five, and then worldwide prominence?   What for?  So that outside sources can signal that you are doing a good job while your patients and employees see deficits in patient care?  Does that make sense?  The LEAN and continuous improvement  Healthcare initiatives are like sparkling fool's gold.  Catching to the eye, boastful at first, but then when you pick it up and really examine it, it's worth nothing.  

The parade continues, people are impressed as they walk through, as they hear about the initiatives.  And yet, the people on the scene and in the trenches know the truth - it's just a show, fool's gold, the emperor has no clothes.  The real story is beneath but no one is listening - the sparkle has caught their eye.  LEAN Healthcare initiatives do not necessarily improve patient outcome and in fact can be detrimental.  Emperor, where are your clothes?  Oh, no one close to you will tell you that you are naked.