Google Chat & Spaces
Google Chat and Google Spaces are the official internal communication platforms for Good Shepherd Health. They reduce internal email volume while improving speed, accountability, and operational visibility.
Communication hierarchy
Google Chat
Quick questions, daily communication, status updates, team collaboration, operational issues
Google Spaces
Department communication, project discussions, announcements, shared resources, ongoing initiatives
External communication, formal notices, vendor/customer communications, contracts and legal matters
Phone calls
Emergencies, urgent operational issues, time-sensitive situations
Required spaces
Company Announcements
Executive announcements, policy updates, company news
Leadership and HR only
Executive Leadership
Strategic planning, executive decisions, growth initiatives
CEO, COO, CFO, Chief of Staff, Department Heads
Acquisitions
Pharmacy and DME acquisitions, due diligence, financing, closing coordination
Pharmacy Operations
Daily operations, compliance, inventory, staffing
DME Operations
Intake, billing, deliveries, Medicare compliance
Sales & Business Development
Referral development, marketing, partnerships, community outreach
Finance & Accounting
Banking, payroll, financial reporting, budgeting
Human Resources
Recruiting, training, employee relations, onboarding
Compliance & Legal
HIPAA, DEA, regulatory matters, contract review
Information Technology
System support, Google Workspace, HubSpot, security
Direct messages
Use direct messages for quick questions, clarifications, time-sensitive one-on-one communication, and individual follow-up.
- Quick questions and clarifications
- Time-sensitive individual follow-up
- Avoid lengthy project discussions
- Avoid group decisions or unnecessary confidential sharing
Message standards
Every message should be professional, respectful, clear, concise, and business-related. It should answer:
- What is needed?
- Who is responsible?
- When is it due?
Example
"Please upload the lender package for Metro Pharmacy by 4:00 PM today and confirm once complete."
Response expectations
File sharing & tasks
- Share Google Drive links, not attachments
- Store files in company-owned Drive folders
- Use proper naming conventions
- Never upload to personal storage or create duplicate repositories
Daily operating expectations
0/5Confidentiality
- Never share patient information outside authorized channels
- Never share passwords or banking credentials
- Keep legal documents in authorized Spaces only
The Chat Golden Rule
Important decisions, assignments, updates, and project discussions should be visible to the appropriate team so information is not trapped in private messages. When in doubt, communicate in the appropriate Google Space rather than a direct message.