In my work we have to build consensus with many different groups. We are an association so, if some of our members support an idea, but other members do not support an idea, we must find consensus so that we can communicate the will of the hospitals as a cohesive front to the public and lawmakers.

We have to build consensus with insurance companies, Medicaid, and Medicare on issues when no one has the same viewpoint, but if consensus cannot be achieved communication breaks down and solutions to important issues are not found.

According to Burgess(2003), "Consensus building is employed to settle conflicts that involve multiple parties and usually multiple issues. The approach seeks totransformadversarial interactions into a cooperative search for information and solutions that meet all parties' interests and needs." (4)

The article goes on to explain that problems generally share common characteristics and that there are effective steps for consensus building. (Burgess,2003)

Right now, in the United States, we are having a very difficult time agreeing on whether or not we should provide healthcare for all, and if we decide that we should, how it should be done.

QUESTION:

If you are the CEO of a hospital and were asked by CMS to sit in on a task force looking at ways to provide care in the US, how would you approach consensus building?

Burgess, H.(2003).Consensus Building.Retrieved from https://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/consensus_building