Stewardship of the field of health care is more fully engaged by establishing a venue for collaboration among a wide diversity of relevant organizations and individual providers that offer conversations, interviews, documents and other resources that help us meeting the challenges of mid-21st Century health care. A forum has been established for a collaborating community — which we are calling Salus (as in salute)–which is Latin for wishing someone good health. In our case, we are declaring Salus as an extended wish for good health for the entire health care enterprise.
Background
Our venue for a collaborating health care community is similar (though digital) to those found in many parts of the world—be they plazas, squares or current-day malls. While acknowledging the diversity of terms and diversity of shapes and functions served, we will make use of one term, for convenience. That term is “forum.” The Salus Forum is an open space for dialogue and collaboration. Often referred to as a “commons” (term used in New England), a square or an urban park (as opposed to a large area set aside for trees, lawns and recreation), the forum becomes a space that attracts people and provides an opportunity for communication and commerce. For individuals and health care institutions, it will provide leadership opportunities as well.
A Sociopetel Space
The social analyst, Robert Sommer, identifies this as an area that is “sociopetel” (pronounced: so-see-op’-ital)—it pulls people in. This invented word is derived from the term “centripetal” – which means to pull inward as opposed to “centrifugal” which means to push outward. Isaac Newton described centripetal as “a force by which bodies are drawn or impelled, or in any way tend, towards a point as to a center”. The Salus Forum can powerfully pull people in—the forum can draw or impel people toward a center—a point of convergent dialogue and deliberation.