What conflict defines the values mismatch experienced by patient advocates in healthcare settings?
Encountering an environment prioritizing efficiency or profitability over comprehensive care
The phenomenon known as values mismatch occurs when a healthcare provider enters the field driven by a strong, personal commitment to patient advocacy and providing comprehensive care, but consistently finds themselves working within an organizational culture that prioritizes efficiency metrics or profitability targets above those comprehensive needs. This discrepancy between the provider's core mission and the organizational reality creates a chronic, internal conflict. The resulting dissonance is a major source of professional strain, especially when financial pressures dictate staffing levels or treatment paths in ways that compromise what the provider believes the patient requires.
