(WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA – September 8, 2010) — Ross Goldberg, founder and president of Kevin/Ross Public Relations, will be among the keynote speakers at the annual meeting of the New Mexico Hospital Association taking place Sept. 15-17 in Albuquerque. Goldberg’s presentation, entitled “Restoring Public Trust in Healthcare,” will explore why so many Americans have lost trust in the healthcare system and what healthcare leaders can to restore it.
“While the nation debates issues such as access, cost and quality, all of these are ultimately insignificant if consumers do not believe that the industry operates with the public’s best interests in mind,” said Goldberg. “The medicine we provide may be the wonderment of the world, but the system itself needs fixing; and we have little time to lose in turning things around.”
Goldberg, a 34-year veteran of healthcare marketing, is a frequent speaker and author on the topic of public trust. He also currently serves as chairman of the board of trustees at Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in Southern California, giving him a unique perspective into the issues and challenges facing healthcare today.
In his presentation, Goldberg will outline the four essential elements of trust – integrity, honesty, promise keeping and loyalty – noting that “The individuals we consider most trustworthy all practice these qualities without flinching, but not enough organizations can honestly say that they do so day after day.” He will then discuss what forces have caused the healthcare industry to see such a dramatic decline in public trust and what can be done to right the ship.
“Trust and integrity are precious resources that are easily squandered and hard to regain,” said Goldberg. “It’s not too late, but we need to begin to focus on this now.”
The annual meeting of the New Mexico Hospital Association will be held at Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town. Joining Goldberg as keynoter speakers are Rick Pollack, executive vice president of the American Hospital Association, and Dr. Brad Nieder, who will share “Laugher is the Best Medicine.”