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Douglas Flora

Aug 8, 2025, 11:33

Douglas Flora: Don’t Let a Single “Loose Thread” Unravel Your Patient Care

Douglas Flora, Executive Medical Director of Oncology Services at St. Elizabeth Healthcare and President-Elect of the Association of Cancer Care Centers, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Don’t Let a Single ‘Loose Thread’ Unravel Your Patient Care

“Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” – Henry Ford

Story Time today, guys!

In a bustling city, lived a renowned Master Weaver. Her hands moved with a dancer’s grace, and her tapestries were famous for their breathtaking beauty and an unmatched strength that seemed to defy time itself. She had a team of apprentices, and together, they were weaving their most ambitious project yet: a magnificent tapestry for the royal palace.

But as the days went on, the pressure to finish started to mount. One apprentice, feeling rushed, quickly tied a knot in a section he thought was hidden. ‘It’s just one small knot,’ he convinced himself. Another, wanting to save time, grabbed a slightly inferior thread and wove it into a spot on the edge. ‘It’s just a tiny piece,’ she thought.

The Master Weaver, however, missed nothing. She saw the rushed knot, the weak thread, and the subtle imperfections that no one else would have even noticed from a distance. When the tapestry was finally complete, the apprentices beamed with pride. It was truly a sight to behold.

But the Master Weaver, with a gentle smile, held the tapestry up to the light. There, shimmering faintly, was the loose thread. A single point of weakness, a single flaw that would, over time, begin to unravel the whole thing. She looked at her apprentices and said, ‘A tapestry’s strength isn’t in its visible grandeur, but in the integrity of every single thread. If one thread is weak, or one knot is rushed, the entire work is compromised.’

As you’ve guessed by now, this isn’t just a story about fabric. This is our story. In oncology, our patients are our tapestry. They are the purpose of every process we create, every rule we follow, and every metric we track. We simply cannot afford a loose thread. A rushed chart entry, a miscommunication, or a missed follow-up isn’t a small flaw that will go unnoticed—it’s a critical weakness that can unravel a patient’s entire treatment plan.

Our commitment to quality, in every single step, ensures the strength and integrity of their care. It’s a matter of life and hope, and they are counting on us to get every single thread right.

Huge thank you to our St. Elizabeth Healthcare Oncology Quality team for always making sure this critical work is done with utmost care and attention. You hard work is noticed and appreciated, even if sometimes it looks like ‘no one is looking.'”

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