--- title: How To Communicate Plans To Your Patients and Staff | Five To Save description: The best thing any healthcare provider can do to retain the trust of their patients and staff is communicate honestly. image: https://www.z5inventory.com/hubfs/FTS%20-%20communicate%20during%20crisis.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/five-to-save-how-to-communicate-plans-to-your-patients-and-staff#main-content) [![Group 1211](https://www.z5inventory.com/hubfs/Group%201211.png)](https://www.z5inventory.com) - [Solutions](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions) - [Z5 Count](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2021-0-1) - [Z5 Fixed Asset](https://www.z5inventory.com/solution/fixedassetcount) - [Z5 Analytics](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2021-0) - [Z5 Optimization](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2021-0-0) - [Who We Serve](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2022) - Company - [About Us](https://www.z5inventory.com/contact-2021) - [Contact Us](https://www.z5inventory.com/contact) - [Careers](https://www.z5inventory.com/careers) - [Blog](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog) - [Login](https://prod.z5development.com/) # How To Communicate Plans To Your Patients and Staff | Five To Save [Alex Diamond](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/author/alex-diamond) 7/7/2020 ![The Z5 Piggy Bank is talking into a can, but you need to communicate better in your hospitals.](https://www.z5inventory.com/hs-fs/hubfs/FTS%20-%20communicate%20during%20crisis.jpg?width=1200&name=FTS%20-%20communicate%20during%20crisis.jpg) As care delivery plans change to match changing conditions, the best supply chain and finance pros will distinguish themselves through their honest communication. Things are looking better in some states. Things are looking worse in states like ours (as you'll see below). And, in lots of states, there hasn't been enough of a trend in one direction or another to say anything definite.  The coronavirus crisis is nothing if not disruptive, and we do our fellow healthcare workers and our potential patients a disservice to pretend otherwise.  Here's our weekly roundup of what to do and what to avoid when addressing the ongoing struggles your facilities are facing:  1. Our home state of Texas is being used as a nationwide (even worldwide) example of how not to reopen, as we've once again had to [halt elective procedures](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/elective-surgery-pause-in-texas-is-bad-credit-news-for-hospital-operators.html), while at the same time [discouraging public sharing of hospital capacities](https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/02/texas-hospital-capacity-coronavirus/). Which means it's more necessary than ever for hospitals to communicate with each other.  2. It's likely that hospitals [will run out of PPE again](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/medical-companies-warn-ppe-critical-equipment-situation-not-sustainable-house-n1232752). It's possible that you'll run out of other supplies, [like syringes](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2020/07/02/covid-mask-shortage-left-us-unprotected-syringes-next/5359482002/). It's likely that you'll [run out of tests](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/investigations/t-socals-largest-healthcare-provider-covid-19-tests-arent-available-for-everyone-with-symptoms/2390683/).  3. When communicating something this bleak, honesty needs to be the top priority. But feel free to sprinkle in tentative good news, like these [developing PPE decontamination methods](https://www.modernhealthcare.com/safety-quality/nasa-university-hospitals-develop-new-decontamination-methods-ppe) and the possibility of [3D-printed equipment filling the gap](https://www.medicaldesignandoutsourcing.com/mayo-clinic-needed-to-engineer-its-way-through-covid-19-heres-what-they-did/) left by manufacturers.  4. That's critical to [combating the trauma that healthcare workers are experiencing](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/supply-chain/lack-of-adequate-supplies-hurting-nurses-psychological-health-study-says.html) (as we discussed [last week](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/whats-needed-from-leadership-in-the-coronavirus-crisis)) and preventing those same [healthcare workers ruining public trust](https://dailygazette.com/article/2020/07/03/nurse-sues-ellis-hospital-alleges-underpayment-of-wages) in healthcare providers.  5. So hospitals' leadership and employees need to [communicate clearly their situation and their plans](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/digital-marketing/the-messages-hospital-marketing-execs-are-using-to-bring-patients-back.html). It's the only way to retain the trust of the community.  Speaking of communication, it's probably worth five minutes of your time to listen to and share recent episodes of [Take 5: An Inventory Series](https://take5.buzzsprout.com/) on [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe6yYj3JT7SQi20rlIWzliebvrrsIB7QW) or your favorite podcast app.    Relevant content in five minute chunks. You're welcome.    [selling medical inventory](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/selling-medical-inventory) [reallocation](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/reallocation) [five to save](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/five-to-save) [digital supply management](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/digital-supply-management) [leadership](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/leadership) [communication](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/communication) [healthcare inventory](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/healthcare-inventory) [healthcare logistics](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/healthcare-logistics) [buying medical supplies](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/buying-medical-supplies) [2020](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/2020) [hospital supply chain](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/hospital-supply-chain) [coronavirus](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/coronavirus) [ppe](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/ppe) [covid-19](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/covid-19) [personal protective equipment](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/personal-protective-equipment) [honesty](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/topic/honesty) ## Leave a Comment ## Related Posts ### [5/12/2020 Five To Save | How The Pandemic Hurts Hospital Employees](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/five-to-save-how-pandemic-hurts-hospital-employees) ### [4/7/2020 FEMA Doesn't Know How Much PPE It Has. Do You?](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/fema-doesnt-know-how-much-ppe-it-has.-do-you) ### [6/8/2021 How To Make A Healthcare Initiative Successful (Spoiler: It's Collaboration) | Five To Save](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog/how-to-make-a-healthcare-initiative-successful-spoiler-its-collaboration-five-to-save) ![Group 1212](https://www.z5inventory.com/hubfs/Group%201212.png) Z5 Inventory was founded with the purpose of saving health care providers nationwide from expiring product, empowering them to Count, Reallocate, and Buy their inventory all in one place. - [Solutions](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions) - [Z5 Count](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2021-0-1) - [Z5 Analytics](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2021-0) - [Z5 Optimization](https://www.z5inventory.com/solutions-2021-0-0) - Company - [About Us](https://www.z5inventory.com/contact-2021) - [Contact Us](https://www.z5inventory.com/contact) - [Careers](https://www.z5inventory.com/careers) - [Blog](https://www.z5inventory.com/blog) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.z5inventory.com/privacy-policy) - [Get The App](https://www.z5inventory.com/platform) - [Apple App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/z5-count/id1557711721) - [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.z5inventory&gl=US) - [Dashboard Login](https://prod.z5development.com/) © 2026 All rights reserved. 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