目标是人们期望在未来能够达到的一种状态或能够取得的成果。贫僧唐三藏，来自东土大唐，去往西天取经。三句话总结了唐僧存在的目的和意义。

　　任何组织的存在都具有一定的目的，而目标正是为了界定和说明这种目的。例如：学校的目标是教书育人，军队的目标是保家卫国，医院的目标是救死扶伤等。目标说明了该组织之所以能在社会上得以存在的原因或成立该组织的根本目的，是一类组织区别于另一类组织的标志。

　　那么在同一类组织中，各企业、医院间是如何区分的呢？定义组织目标回答三个问题就好：

　　我们是做什么的？

　　我们怎样做到想要的？

　　为什么是我们来做？

　　组织的目标不仅决定了组织的发展方向，而且资源有限的情况下如何分配的优先顺序，以及当遇到重大变故时如何克服困难，并不断激励所有员工的指引。以下是部分美国医疗机构的目标：

　　霍普金斯医院：

　　The vision of Johns Hopkins Medicine pushes the boundaries of discovery, transforms health care, advances medical education and creates hope for humanity. Together, we will deliver the promise of medicine.

　　The mission of Johns Hopkins Medicine is to improve the health of the community and the world by setting the standard of excellence in medical education, research and clinical care. Diverse and inclusive, Johns Hopkins Medicine educates medical students, scientists, health care professionals and the public; conducts biomedical research; and provides patient-centered medicine to prevent, diagnose and treat human illness.

　　克利夫兰医院：

　　The vision of Cleveland Clinic: Striving to be the world's leader in patient experience, clinical outcomes, research and education.

　　When Cleveland Clinic welcomed its first patients on February 28, 1921, its mission was clearly in place: “Better care of the sick, investigation into their problems and further education of those who serve.”

　　辛辛那提儿童医院：

　　The vision of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center will be the leader in improving child health.

　　The mission of Cincinnati Children’s will improve child health and transform delivery of care through fully integrated, globally recognized research, education and innovation.

　　作为2012年获得美国鲍德里奇质量奖的North Mississippi Health Services医疗机构，他们的官网上是这样描述的：

　　Why We Exist

　　To continuously improve the health of the people of our region.

　　What We Want To Be

　　The provider of the best patient- and family-centered care and health services in America.

　　The Board of Directors and senior leadership set the current Mission statement in 1994 to reflect the growing refusal to accept the pervasiveness of disease, which continued to debilitate our region. In 2001, this process led to the Values statement based on input from employees, physicians and the community. Since 1996, as a result of our work with the Baldrige criteria, we set our sights on organizational performance that far exceeds merely the acceptable. The Vision was updated in 2016 to reflect NMHS' dedication to serving the needs of patients and their families.

　　显然他们的目标发生了改变，这和组织的发展密切相关。

　　作为国内的公立医院，你是否知道自己医院的目标呢？