You Should Have No Secrets When You Have Nothing to Hide

One of the major stories in Louisville, Kentucky, this year has been a proposed hospital merger of University Hospital (affiliated with the University of Louisville, but more on that later), Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare, and Lexington’s St. Joseph Health System. The merger would create Kentucky's largest health care network, and proponents claim it would improve health statewide and lead to better trained physicians, a role University fills.

No one would be paying much attention, except that the merged hospitals will be under the direction of Catholic Health Initiatives, considered a ministry of the Catholic church. That means they would have to follow Catholic directives covering Vatican no-no's such as sterilizations, abortions, birth control, and euthanasia. The area Bishops won't approve a merger otherwise.

No where are Catholic directives any more controversial than at University Hospital, the safety net for the poor and uninsured. Part of the controversy involves the question of whether University Hospital, with its connections to a public university, is a private or public facility.

"Legal experts say if University is a public hospital, the merger could run afoul of the First Amendment's prohibition against government favoring any religion. Several watchdog groups have questioned the merger because of that issue. U of L and University Hospital maintain the hospital is private because it is operated by a nonprofit corporation, University Medical Center Inc. But several elected officials disagree, and Attorney General Jack Conway ruled recently that UMC is a public agency.' http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courier_journal/access/2494721301.html?FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&fmac=f10b7ae69f2d041a9c3c286c06d01411&date=Oct+25%2C+2011&author=&pub=&desc=Hospital+merger+stance+softens)

The private/public controversy appears headed for court. Here is where open communications come into question.

"University Hospital has filed a lawsuit against The Courier-Journal, the American Civil Liberties Union, WHAS-TV and people associated with those organizations to overturn Attorney General Jack Conway’s ruling last month that it is a public entity. The suit, filed Friday in Jefferson Circuit Court, seeks to avoid turning over documents requested by those organizations under Kentucky’s open records law." (http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011311050113)

Why, I wondered, was the hospital being secretive about turning its documents over to the news media? “'All of the parties operate in highly competitive markets where they would be unfairly disadvantaged if their competitors could learn about their internal workings and strategic initiatives,' the lawsuit says."

I've never worked directly in the health care industry. But it seems to me that patients show up, you make them well, you send them home. What "strategic initiatives?"

What could be in those documents that is either so secretive or so embarrassing? By taking the attorney general's opinion to court and stiff-arming efforts to open its books to the public, University Hospital is taking on the appearance of an organization that has something to hide. It seems like some deep, dark secrets -- perhaps back-room negotiations with the Catholics or criticisms of certain entities, for instance? -- are being protected.

Attempts at secrecy, whatever your business, make you appear to be hiding something from your stakeholders. It's a given that competitive information and business plans are off limits. But in this case, whether University Hospital is private or public, it appears to be hiding something juicy. When you are in the midst of a crisis, remember the lesson of University Hospital. Be as up front and honest as you can, yet without baring all. Wear a fig leaf but not much more.