The Declaration for Human Experience (2026): Why a commitment to our humanity matters now more than ever!

by Jason A. Wolf, Ph.D., CPXP

It was five years ago, as we were working to regain our footing after the height of the pandemic that that world – and our global community – acknowledged we had to be, and do, more. This feeling was no more relevant than in healthcare where the strains on society were felt, cracks were revealed, and issues long simmering under the surface were thrust to the forefront. But our community responded in sharing its collective voice, through a declaration that called us to something more. It was a call to transform human experience.

The roots of this conversation were fostered years before, in late 2015, as we in The Beryl Institute community began to have conversations around this idea. In an August 2015 blog I shared, “I believe we have a significant opportunity to tackle the real tangible nature of the human experience in healthcare itself.” The response was clear and led to deeper conversations in early 2016 where we first declared “It is time to place the human experience back at the heart of healthcare,” followed by a call to action that “the experience era was upon us.” In a November 2016 article in Patient Experience Journal by that title. I shared, “…at its core healthcare is about the human experience it provides for all those it cares for as well as all those it comprises.” From that moment we never wavered. This idea was actually reflective of the critical role an organization’s culture plays and its position resting solidly at the center of the definition of experience itself.

As we have taken the lessons from the pandemic years forward, grounded in the conversations we had well before, we continue to treat the scars and grow from the lessons we learned. At the same time we do all this with hope and a forward looking belief that we must and can continue to make healthcare better for all it serves and for all who show up to serve every day.

With this in mind, and with a eye to the future we revisited the declaration to fit where we stand today. The realities for many have not yet fully changed, and the four commitments (listed below) remain steady and true. We realized that in THIS moment of history in which we find ourselves that a reminder of our humanity, and our shared commitment, has never been more critical. While these ideas were inspired by our healthcare experience, they are commitments we believe we all MUST make to one another as human beings caring for human beings no matter where we stand in the world. That is our call to action – a stand for elevating our humanity in healthcare and as importantly, beyond!

That is why this redux is so important now…we must and can do better in caring for our fellow human beings and we must stand strong in ensuring others do so as well. Yes, a commitment to our humanity matters now more than ever!

Here is the Declaration for Human Experience revised for 2026. I hope you all will sign on in joining us in this commitment. The work continues…

Declaration for Human Experience (2026)

In a world facing consistent, dynamic, and rapid changes in how we communicate and connect, the realties and challenges for the global healthcare system have been clearly revealed.

Economic pressures, workforce shortages, policy decisions, growing patient needs, and social tensions, catalyzed by recent health events, have exposed a systemic opportunity critical to building a vibrant, healthy, and sustainable healthcare system: the need to heal and strengthen the humanity at the heart of healthcare.

Healthcare professionals and organizations are working daily to respond to the growing needs of their patients and the communities they serve with compassion and clinical excellence. In the face of economic and workforce challenges healthcare organizations continue to find creative ways to fulfill their mission to care for their communities, while working to address the health and well-being of the healthcare workforce.

At the same time, the realities of systemic disparities and inequities remain painfully apparent, even if harder to address directly due to policy and social pressures. Organizations continue to work tirelessly to tackle the essential issues of access to care, affordability, and equitable, quality outcomes.

These issues are not new; while elevated by recent history, they have lived just beneath the surface of healthcare for decades and they come with a heavy price. They call for a fundamental shift in thinking and direction in how each of us lead in healthcare today.

We are now in a moment where there is no normal to which to return. Rather, we are called to find solutions to step forward, across the global healthcare ecosystem, together. Those who resist or return to old ways, either intentionally searching for the comforts of the past or due to lack of clarity on how to push forward, are likely to become obsolete in our new world.

This reality calls on us to forge a new existence that breaks down the deeply rooted and distinct silos of patient experience, employee engagement and community health with an unwavering focus on the common thread that binds each of these areas together—the human experience.

By elevating and transforming the human experience in healthcare, we create a more effective, responsive and equitable healthcare system that results in better experiences and outcomes for patients of all backgrounds, a more supportive, energizing and collaborative environment for healthcare professionals, and healthier communities that break down barriers to care.

We are called to lead courageously with the understanding that we are, first and foremost, human beings caring for human beings. In answering this call, we commit to:

• Acknowledge and dismantle systemic racism and prejudice, tackle disparities and provide the highest-quality, most equitable care possible.
• Understand and act on the needs and vulnerabilities of the healthcare workforce to honor their commitment and reaffirm and reenergize their purpose.
• Recognize and maintain a focus on what matters most to patients, their family members and care partners to ensure unparalleled care and a commitment to health and well-being.
• Collaborate through shared learning within and between organizations, systems and the broader healthcare continuum to forge a bold new path to a more human-centered, equitable and effective healthcare system.

In making this declaration personally and publicly, we stand for all we can and must be in healthcare. In aligning our words and actions to move this cause forward, we commit to transforming the human experience in healthcare for all patients, the healthcare workforce, and the communities we serve. In working together to see these ideas become realities, with persistence and focus, we can and will change the face of healthcare for the better around the world. We believe that is what every human being deserves.

You can find the full declaration, supporting resources, and sign on at transformHX.org