Brian Donley ‘86 practices what he preaches.
As the inaugural director of the Cleveland Clinic London, due to open in 2021, Donley is devoted to continuing the clinic’s mission to foster a compassionate culture and create a patient-focused healthcare system. In order to achieve this, Donley knows he must build more than just a hospital, he must build an ethos that is firmly rooted in understanding, empathy and care.
Donley lives by the values that guide his work, values that he believes were strengthened through his education at Notre Dame. He attributes the University with giving him a strong grounding in social justice, and a commitment to service to others. It’s also where he met peers who have been influential in both his personal and professional life.
His gratitude towards to Notre Dame is perhaps why he is taking time out of his busy schedule to share his knowledge and expertise with students at the London Global Gateway. As well as offering internships at the Clinic, Donley teaches a course entitled “Healthcare: the Business of Empathy." Through visits to the site in construction, and conversations with not only healthcare professionals, but architects, administrators, business managers and patients, students will see how compassion underpins all elements of the delivery of healthcare.
Originally published by at london.nd.edu on January 22, 2020.