Cannot enter into alliances until acquainted with neighbour facilities

We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbors.

We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country--its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps.

We shall be unable to turn natural advantage to account unless we make use of local guides.

From "Sun Tzu on the Art of War - The Oldest Military Treatise in the World"

Translated from the Chinese By Lionel Giles, M.A. (1910)

Discussion:

In the shared care contexts, administrating care plans and pathways requires not only internal knowledge and understanding of resources and issues within the hospital, but also external alliances and liaison with neighbouring facilities and local practitioners.

Translation:

We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbour facilities.

We are not fit to lead an army of orders unless we are familiar with the faces of the hospital--its departments and wards, its problems and issues, its risks and hazards.

We shall be unable to turn community advantage to account unless we make use of local general practitioners.

Ray Murakami