Elevate Care

In this episode of the Elevate Care podcast, host Enderson Miranda speaks with Dr. Cody Legler, DNP, APRN, NEA-BC, FAONL, System Vice President and System Chief Nurse Executive at Atlantic Health. Drawing on more than 15 years of experience leading transformational change across major health systems, Dr. Legler shares how his career path shaped a leadership philosophy built on mentorship, organizational courage, and a genuine commitment to the people delivering care.

Dr. Legler reflects on a career that began as a phlebotomist and grew into system-level nursing leadership—and the lessons that shaped him along the way. He speaks to the value of mentorship that reaches beyond healthcare, the strength that comes from reverse mentorship across generations, and why bold decisions—like pursuing a Pathway to Excellence designation during the pandemic—often build an organization's foundation rather than strain it. He also turns to the forces reshaping care delivery: evolving models of care, top-of-license practice, and the partnerships health systems are forming with workforce and technology partners to close access gaps. Throughout, one theme holds steady: that supporting nursing teams and building healthy work environments is inseparable from delivering better patient care.

·      Mentorship works best when it's diverse. Dr. Legler recommends identifying three to five mentors over a career, including at least one or two from outside healthcare.

·      Reverse mentorship strengthens leadership. Learning from younger generations in the workforce helps leaders understand shifting priorities and build healthier work environments.

·      Bold decisions pay off. Choosing to pursue a Pathway to Excellence designation during the pandemic gave one organization a shared goal and a framework for moving forward together.

·      The model of care is shifting quickly. Technology, top-of-license practice, and new partnerships between employers and academic institutions will define nursing's next chapter.

·      Professional associations build lasting networks. Involvement in groups like the American Organization for Nursing Leadership creates a support system that pays forward across an entire career.

·      Workforce comes first, right after patients. A stable, supported nursing team is the foundation for consistent, high-quality patient care.

00:00 – Introduction to Nurse Leadership and Workforce Priorities

02:09 – Cody Legler's Path from Phlebotomist to Chief Nurse Executive

05:34 – A Leadership Philosophy Built on Listening and Data

08:43 – The Power of Mentorship and Reverse Mentorship

11:06 – Why Nurse Leaders Need Perspective Beyond Healthcare

14:43 – Creating a Culture That Encourages Bold Decisions

16:48 – Real Examples: Pathway to Excellence During the Pandemic

20:43 – The Future Model of Care and Top-of-License Practice

25:03 – AI, Workforce Demographics, and the Next Decade of Nursing

29:37 – The Value of Professional Associations and Networking

32:31 – Advice for Aspiring Nurse Leaders

33:48 – Closing Thoughts on the Future of Nursing

Dr. Cody Legler, DNP, APRN, NEA-BC, FAONL, is the System Vice President and System Chief Nurse Executiver at Atlantic Health, a leading nonprofit health system headquartered in New Jersey. He brings more than 15 years of nursing leadership experience, including previous roles as Assistant Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Maimonides Health in New York, and Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Perioperative Services at MedStar Health. Alongside his system leadership work, Dr. Legler has spent over ten years in academia and currently serves as a Clinical Associate Professor at SUNY Downstate. He remains active in professional associations, including the American Organization for Nursing Leadership and the Maryland Organization for Nursing Leaders, where he previously served as president.

Access the 2026 Healthcare Workforce Outlook Survey
Download the full report to explore what these findings mean for retention, staffing, care quality, and workforce strategy.

Explore Solutions for Smarter Workforce Management

We're proudly sponsored by AMN Healthcare, the leader in healthcare staffing and workforce solutions. Explore their services at AMN Healthcare.

Learn how AMN Healthcare's workforce flexibility technology helps health systems cut costs and improve efficiency. Click here to explore the case study and discover smarter ways to manage your resources!

Discover how WorkWise is redefining workforce management for healthcare.

Visit workwise.amnhealthcare.com to learn more.

About The Show:

Elevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Learn more about the show here.

Find Us On:
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Behavioral health needs in schools are growing more complex, yet districts must address them with limited staffing and budgets. On this episode of Elevate Care, host Kerry Perez talks with Veronica Gorgueiro, Behavioral Program Manager at AMN Healthcare, about how schools are innovating to support both students and educators. Drawing on nearly 20 years as a school psychologist, Veronica highlights the connection between behavioral health and academic success while emphasizing why schools are uniquely positioned to help students build resilience beyond the classroom.

Veronica shares practical strategies districts are using to stretch their resources, from adapting clinical models like applied behavior analysis to leveraging community partnerships, grants, and tailored staffing solutions. She also highlights the role of virtual therapy in expanding access to care and discusses sustainable approaches like the "train the trainer" model, which builds internal capacity for long-term support. For district leaders, her message is clear: there are effective, tailored solutions available, and seeking help is a proactive step toward strengthening support for students and staff alike.

·      Behavioral health and academic success are deeply connected, with progress in one reinforcing the other.

·      Adapting clinical models like ABA therapy for schools means reshaping them to fit classroom settings rather than replicating one-on-one clinical environments.

·      Successful districts use community partnerships, grants, and flexible staffing to maximize limited behavioral health resources.

·      A "train the trainer" model enables behavior specialists to coach teachers and paraprofessionals, fostering long-term internal capacity.

·      Virtual therapy broadens access to care for students in remote or underserved areas while preserving the importance of in-person support where needed.

·      Effective behavioral health strategies should be customized to align with each district's unique strengths and challenges.

00:00 – Introduction to Behavioral Health in Schools
00:56 – Veronica's Path from School Psychology to Behavioral Health Leadership
03:07 – Why Behavioral Health Support Matters More Than Ever
04:38 – Top Challenges Districts Face Bringing Clinical Models into Schools
08:00 – What Effective Behavioral Health Support Looks Like
10:47 – Defining Good Student Outcomes in Behavioral Health
13:13 – How Teachers and Behavioral Specialists Collaborate
16:11 – Building Internal Capacity for Long-Term Sustainability
20:01 – How District Behavioral Health Programs Actually Get Started
22:05 – The Role and Reach of Virtual Therapy
28:01 – Combining Staffing, Training, and Technology for Flexible Support
30:36 – Final Thoughts: There Are Options for Every District

Veronica Gorgueiro is Behavioral Program Manager at AMN Healthcare, where she works with school districts nationwide to design tailored behavioral health programs. A school psychologist by training, Veronica spent nearly 20 years working directly in schools across multiple states before moving into virtual therapy in 2017. Her background spans special education evaluations, applied behavior analysis, and telehealth service delivery, giving her a broad view of what districts need to support both students and staff. At AMN Healthcare, she partners with district administrators to close staffing gaps, expand training, and build behavioral health programs that grow with a district's evolving needs.

Guest Resources:

·      Connect with Veronica Gorgueiro on LinkedIn

·      Learn more about AMN Healthcare's Behavioral Health Services

Access the 2026 Healthcare Workforce Outlook Survey
Download the full report to explore what these findings mean for retention, staffing, care quality, and workforce strategy.

Explore Solutions for Smarter Workforce Management

We're proudly sponsored by AMN Healthcare, the leader in healthcare staffing and workforce solutions. Explore their services at AMN Healthcare.

Learn how AMN Healthcare's workforce flexibility technology helps health systems cut costs and improve efficiency. Click here to explore the case study and discover smarter ways to manage your resources!

Discover how WorkWise is redefining workforce management for healthcare.

Visit workwise.amnhealthcare.com to learn more.

About The Show:

Elevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Learn more about the show here.

Find Us On:
Website

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Spotify

Apple

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LinkedIn

X

Facebook

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Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Allied health workforce shortages—from surgical techs to respiratory therapists—carry real operational weight, yet they rarely get the attention they deserve. In this episode of Elevate Care, host Enderson Miranda speaks with Dr. Hussein Tahan, Chief Nursing Officer and System Vice President at MedStar Health, about how his team built an internal talent pipeline that has fundamentally changed how the organization approaches workforce strategy. Dr. Tahan traces the origin of the MedStar Academy from a single idea in the operating room to a multi-discipline program that has trained more than 400 associates, explaining how MedStar identifies priority roles, partners with community colleges to accelerate training, and provides wraparound support—childcare assistance, transportation help, and consistent check-ins—to keep learners on track.

The conversation also explores how MedStar builds business cases with finance partners from day one, why wraparound support like childcare assistance and transportation help keeps learners on track, and how the calculus between contract labor, overtime, and internal training has shifted since the pandemic. For healthcare leaders working to make a similar case internally, this episode offers a clear, practical framework for pairing workforce investment with measurable outcomes.

·      Allied health deserves equal attention to nursing in workforce strategy. Unlike nursing, allied health professions have historically not had access to contract labor as a bridge solution, making shortages in roles like surgical tech, sterile processing, and cardiovascular tech harder to absorb.

·      Internal talent development can outperform external recruitment. MedStar's academy started with 30 surgical tech trainees three years ago and has since expanded to sterile processing, cardiovascular tech, and CNA-to-patient care tech upskilling, training more than 400 associates in that pathway alone.

·      A strong business case requires precision, not estimates. MedStar builds ROI models directly with finance partners, using accurate wage comparisons instead of averages, to ensure committed cost reductions hold up during budget reviews.

·      Wraparound support drives program completion. Childcare assistance, transportation support, and frequent check-ins address the real-life barriers that keep working learners from finishing their training.

·      Contract labor strategy is not static. As wage dynamics shift, the calculation between agency labor, overtime, and internal staffing needs to be revisited regularly rather than treated as a one-time decision.

·      Retention starts with opportunity. Associates who move from entry-level roles into clinical career pathways show notable loyalty and engagement, translating workforce investment directly into retention outcomes.

·      00:00 – Introduction to Allied Health Workforce Challenges

·      01:47 – Dr. Tahan's Journey from Beirut to MedStar Health Leadership

·      04:14 – Why Allied Health Needs More Attention Post-Pandemic

·      06:38 – The Origin Story of the MedStar Academy

·      08:16 – Expanding from Surgical Tech to Multiple Allied Health Roles

·      11:08 – Building the Business Case with Finance Partners

·      20:05 – Lessons Learned: Where to Start a Workforce Pipeline Program

·      24:28 – Measuring ROI and Cost Savings Over Time

·      28:12 – Partnering with Finance to Build Trust in the Numbers

·      34:32 – Supporting Learners with Wraparound Services

·      38:53 – Final Thoughts on Communication and Program Visibility

Dr. Hussein Tahan, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACHE, serves as Chief Nursing Officer and System Vice President for Nursing Professional Development, Workforce Management, and Academic Affairs at MedStar Health. His career began in Beirut, Lebanon, before he moved to the United States to work as an emergency room nurse, eventually building a leadership path through academic medical centers in New York and into system-level roles.

At MedStar Health, a nine-billion-dollar health system serving Maryland, Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia, Dr. Tahan oversees workforce strategy for more than 35,000 associates, including over 10,500 clinical nurses and approximately 4,000 care associates. Under his leadership, MedStar developed the MedStar Academy, an internal training pipeline that has produced hundreds of newly credentialed allied health professionals while reducing reliance on contract labor.

Access the 2026 Healthcare Workforce Outlook Survey
Download the full report to explore what these findings mean for retention, staffing, care quality, and workforce strategy.

Explore Solutions for Smarter Workforce Management

We're proudly sponsored by AMN Healthcare, the leader in healthcare staffing and workforce solutions. Explore their services at AMN Healthcare.

Learn how AMN Healthcare's workforce flexibility technology helps health systems cut costs and improve efficiency. Click here to explore the case study and discover smarter ways to manage your resources!

Discover how WorkWise is redefining workforce management for healthcare.

Visit workwise.amnhealthcare.com to learn more.

About The Show:

Elevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Learn more about the show here.

Find Us On:
Website

YouTube

Spotify

Apple

Instagram

LinkedIn

X

Facebook

Powered by AMN Healthcare

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A new survey of more than 4,000 healthcare professionals uncovered something more troubling than a staffing shortage: a widening gap between what leaders believe is happening in their organizations and what clinicians actually experience every day. In this episode of Elevate Care, host Kerry Perez talks with Tessa Misiaszek, President of Leadership and Advisory Solutions at AMN Healthcare, about the findings from AMN's 2026 Healthcare Workforce Outlook survey and the new Healthcare Workforce Outlook Index it introduces.

Tessa unpacks why the index landed at just 38%, with none of its five underlying components exceeding 50%, and what that tells leaders about the need for integrated, organization-wide thinking rather than isolated fixes. The conversation covers the disconnect between finance leaders' confidence in workforce data and the reality of fragmented reporting, why 84% of healthcare workers feel underappreciated despite most wanting to stay in the profession, and why burnout, staffing shortages, and compensation need to be addressed as one interconnected system instead of three separate problems.

Tessa and Kerry also discuss what future-ready healthcare leadership looks like as a generational shift reshapes the C-suite, how technology and AI should be evaluated through the lens of giving time back to clinicians, and why retention redesign may offer the greatest opportunity for healthcare organizations today. This episode offers healthcare executives a clear-eyed look at where the workforce truly stands, and a practical starting point for building a more resilient organization.

Download the full report: AMN Healthcare Workforce Outlook Survey

·      The Healthcare Workforce Outlook Index scored 38%, with none of its five sub-indices above 50%, signaling that workforce challenges span the whole organization rather than one department.

·      Sixty percent of finance leaders feel confident in their workforce reporting, yet only 48% have integrated workforce data, raising the risk of high-stakes decisions built on incomplete information.

·      Eighty-four percent of healthcare workers feel underappreciated, and while roughly 80% of nurses want to remain in the profession, one in two plan to leave their current employer within the year.

·      Burnout, staffing shortages, and compensation function as an interconnected cycle. Addressing one in isolation risks worsening the others.

·      Only 38% of executives feel confident in their workforce forecasting, and about one-third have formal succession planning in place, underscoring workforce planning as an enterprise-level priority.

·      Retention redesign, not just recruitment, offers healthcare organizations one of the greatest opportunities to strengthen culture and reduce turnover.

00:00 – Introduction to the healthcare workforce outlook survey
 01:26 – Meet Tessa Misiaszek and first reactions to the data
 02:01 – Understanding the 38% workforce outlook index
 03:31 – Finance confidence versus workforce data reality
 04:56 – The leadership and frontline disconnect
 06:34 – Why 84% of healthcare workers feel underappreciated
 07:53 – Burnout, staffing, and compensation as an interconnected cycle
 09:39 – Workforce planning as an enterprise-wide priority
 11:29 – Evaluating AI and technology through a clinician-first lens
 14:14 – Retention redesign as the greatest opportunity
 16:09 – Leadership capabilities for the next three to five years
 19:08 – Final takeaways for healthcare leaders

Tessa Misiaszek is President of Leadership and Advisory Solutions at AMN Healthcare, where she works with health systems nationwide to strengthen leadership capabilities, workforce strategy, and organizational culture. With years of experience guiding healthcare organizations through workforce transformation, Tessa brings a practical, data-informed perspective to some of the sector's most pressing talent challenges, from retention design to succession planning to preparing leaders for the next generation of healthcare delivery.

Access the 2026 Healthcare Workforce Outlook Survey
Download the full report to explore what these findings mean for retention, staffing, care quality, and workforce strategy.

Explore Solutions for Smarter Workforce Management

We're proudly sponsored by AMN Healthcare, the leader in healthcare staffing and workforce solutions. Explore their services at AMN Healthcare.

Learn how AMN Healthcare's workforce flexibility technology helps health systems cut costs and improve efficiency. Click here to explore the case study and discover smarter ways to manage your resources!

Discover how WorkWise is redefining workforce management for healthcare.

Visit workwise.amnhealthcare.com to learn more.

About The Show:

Elevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Learn more about the show here.

Find Us On:
Website

YouTube

Spotify

Apple

Instagram

LinkedIn

X

Facebook

Powered by AMN Healthcare

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of the Elevate Care podcast, host Steven Endsley talks with Kelsie Stephenson, System Vice President of HR Talent Strategy at INTEGRIS Health, about a simple but often overlooked truth: healthcare performance is a human system equation. Kelsie explains why the strongest organizations help people think clearly, collaborate well, and stay connected to purpose even when conditions get complicated.

The conversation traces how the workforce endured the COVID-19 pandemic through sheer resilience, what that "armor" cost caregivers and leaders alike, and why authenticity has become non-negotiable for today's workforce. Kelsie shares her own turning point, when she realized that pushing through was no longer sustainable, and how that experience reshaped her approach to leadership.

From there, the discussion turns to the practical side of humanity-centered leadership: accountability as an act of care rather than correction, the case for HR leaders to become business experts first, and how thoughtful workforce design closes the gap between people strategy and operational outcomes. Kelsie closes with three takeaways for HR and operational leaders working to balance financial performance, patient experience, and staff well-being.

00:00 – Introduction to humanity-centered leadership in healthcare

01:08 – Meet Kelsie Stephenson: her role at INTEGRIS Health

01:47 – Who Kelsie is beyond the job title

02:04 – The foundation of humanitarian leadership

04:08 – Resilience, COVID-19, and the cost of endurance

07:14 – The armor healthcare leaders wear

09:37 – Kelsie's personal turning point

10:15 – Why humanity and leadership integration isn't taught

11:31 – How workforce expectations have shifted since COVID-19

13:01 – Balancing vulnerability with accountability

15:12 – Bridging the gap between HR and operational leaders

17:26 – Workforce design and breaking down silos

19:47 – Finding the line between financial and people-centered outcomes

21:04 – Three takeaways for HR and operational leaders

22:02 – What gives Kelsie hope for the future of healthcare leadership

Kelsie Stephenson is System Vice President of HR Talent Strategy at INTEGRIS Health, where she leads local HR business partner teams and oversees the full caregiver experience, from onboarding through every stage of the employee journey. A former collegiate athlete with over a decade of experience navigating healthcare workforce challenges, Kelsie brings a grounded, values-driven approach to leadership development, talent strategy, and organizational design. Her work centers on helping HR leaders operate as business experts, using workforce strategy to directly shape operational and patient-centered outcomes.

Access the 2026 Healthcare Workforce Outlook Survey
Download the full report to explore what these findings mean for retention, staffing, care quality, and workforce strategy.

Explore Solutions for Smarter Workforce Management

We're proudly sponsored by AMN Healthcare, the leader in healthcare staffing and workforce solutions. Explore their services at AMN Healthcare.

Learn how AMN Healthcare's workforce flexibility technology helps health systems cut costs and improve efficiency. Click here to explore the case study and discover smarter ways to manage your resources!

Discover how WorkWise is redefining workforce management for healthcare.

Visit workwise.amnhealthcare.com to learn more.

About The Show:

Elevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Learn more about the show here.

Find Us On:
Website

YouTube

Spotify

Apple

Instagram

LinkedIn

X

Facebook

Powered by AMN Healthcare

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every health system is racing to adopt AI scribes, ambient listening, and predictive staffing tools, promising safer, more efficient care. But what about the people on the receiving end of all that innovation? On this episode of Elevate Care, host Tessa Misiaszek talks with Gerry Lupacchino, Senior Vice President of Human Experience at Hartford HealthCare, about what it really takes to keep technology adoption grounded in human connection.

Gerry shares how Hartford HealthCare built its ambitious goal of becoming the most consumer-centric health system in the country on a foundation laid back in 2015: the belief that a strong colleague experience drives a strong patient experience. He explains why physicians, not administrators, are leading the organization's AI governance councils, and how tools like ambient listening are giving clinicians back the human connection that electronic health records once crowded out.

The conversation takes an unexpected turn when Gerry describes a pattern few healthcare leaders talk about: it's often younger patients, not older ones, who are more hesitant about health technology and data sharing. He and Tessa dig into what that means for access, trust, and the responsibility health systems carry in meeting patients, and colleagues, exactly where they are.

00:00 – Introduction to Human Experience in Healthcare

Gerry Lupacchino serves as Senior Vice President of Human Experience at Hartford HealthCare, where he leads teams spanning physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, and licensed clinical social workers on the patient experience side, alongside organizational development professionals focused on the colleague experience. Over his ten years with Hartford HealthCare, the organization has grown from three hospitals and roughly 10,000 employees to ten hospitals, 600 locations, and 48,000 employees. Gerry's work centers on a guiding belief: healthcare organizations that want the best patient experience need to start with the best colleague experience. Learn more about Hartford HealthCare's approach to human experience at hartfordhealthcare.org.

Access the 2026 Healthcare Workforce Outlook Survey
Download the full report to explore what these findings mean for retention, staffing, care quality, and workforce strategy.

Explore Solutions for Smarter Workforce Management

We're proudly sponsored by AMN Healthcare, the leader in healthcare staffing and workforce solutions. Explore their services at AMN Healthcare.

Learn how AMN Healthcare's workforce flexibility technology helps health systems cut costs and improve efficiency. Click here to explore the case study and discover smarter ways to manage your resources!

Discover how WorkWise is redefining workforce management for healthcare.

Visit workwise.amnhealthcare.com to learn more.

About The Show:

Elevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Learn more about the show here.

Find Us On:
Website

YouTube

Spotify

Apple

Instagram

LinkedIn

X

Facebook

Powered by AMN Healthcare

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when a patient can't communicate with the team caring for them? On this episode of the Elevate Care podcast, host Christin Stanford talks with Erin Dougherty Cieszynski, Manager of Guest Relations and Patient Experience at Main Line Health, about what language access looks like once a policy meets a patient in an exam room. This conversation is part two of a series with Main Line Health, following a leadership-level discussion on operational strategy with Suzanne Smith. Check out part one!

Erin brings over 12 years of patient advocacy experience to a conversation grounded in real moments from the floor: emergency department visits, registration desks, and the quiet handoffs between nurse, patient, and family. She walks through how Main Line Health moved from reactive interpreter use to automatic activation, why a universal sign-on changed adoption rates among clinicians, and how something as simple as a badge buddy can close a communication gap before it becomes a safety risk.

Erin also shares how an ASL interpreter helped identify a hearing-impaired patient as a victim of human trafficking, connecting the dots between language access, patient safety, and trust. Throughout, she reframes language services as a driver of stronger patient outcomes, better satisfaction scores, and increased community referrals, not just a regulatory requirement.

Key Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Language Access and Patient Experience

Meet Erin Dougherty Cieszynski

Erin Dougherty Cieszynski works across the full continuum of care to help patients navigate the healthcare system, understand their treatment, and feel confident their voices are being heard. Known for her empathy and ability to bridge the gap between clinical teams and the patients they serve, Erin has led efforts at Main Line Health to expand interpreter access, streamline technology adoption among clinicians, and connect language access directly to patient safety and satisfaction outcomes.

To hear more from the Main Line Health language access series, listen to part one of this conversation featuring Suzanne Smith's perspective on operational strategy and system-wide impact. 

Access the 2026 Healthcare Workforce Outlook Survey
Download the full report to explore what these findings mean for retention, staffing, care quality, and workforce strategy.

Explore Solutions for Smarter Workforce Management

We're proudly sponsored by AMN Healthcare, the leader in healthcare staffing and workforce solutions. Explore their services at AMN Healthcare.

Learn how AMN Healthcare's workforce flexibility technology helps health systems cut costs and improve efficiency. Click here to explore the case study and discover smarter ways to manage your resources!

Discover how WorkWise is redefining workforce management for healthcare.

Visit workwise.amnhealthcare.com to learn more.

About The Show:

Elevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Learn more about the show here.

Find Us On:
Website

YouTube

Spotify

Apple

Instagram

LinkedIn

X

Facebook

Powered by AMN Healthcare

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of the Elevate Care podcast, host Enderson Miranda sits down with Brian Floyd, Chief Operating Officer at ECU Health and chairman of the board for the North Carolina Health Care Association, to unpack a framework Brian calls the "six dimensions of rurality." Drawing on more than 30 years of healthcare leadership, coupled with the unique understanding of a clinician that practiced within the rural healthcare setting, Brian explains why treating rural healthcare as simply a geography problem misses the point, and why density, distance, demographics, disease burden, determinants, and disparity together create structural barriers that urban-focused policy often fails to address.

Brian also shares how ECU Health builds a sustainable workforce from within its own communities, using point-based admissions systems with local universities to keep talent close to home, and how the organization has partnered with AMN Healthcare to achieve conversion rates for international nurses well above the national average. The conversation closes with a candid look at the role technology can play in closing access gaps, and the advocacy work that healthcare leaders must take to ensure rural systems remain viable for the communities that depend on them.

This episode offers healthcare leaders a clear and structural lens for evaluating rural care delivery, along with concrete workforce and policy strategies that translate directly into retention, access, and financial sustainability.

Key Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Brian Floyd and ECU Health

Meet Brian Floyd

Brian Floyd is Chief Operating Officer at ECU Health, a health system with eight hospitals, including a 1,100-bed tertiary academic medical center, and roughly 250 clinics across eastern North Carolina. He also chairs the board of the North Carolina Health Care Association. Brian began his career as a nurse in cardiac surgery before moving into practice administration and executive roles, eventually leading ECU Health's academic medical center as CEO. With more than 30 years of experience spanning clinical operations, health system leadership, and health policy, Brian is a recognized voice on rural healthcare sustainability, workforce strategy, and payment reform.

Learn more about ECU Health at ecuhealth.org.

Access the 2026 Healthcare Workforce Outlook Survey
Download the full report to explore what these findings mean for retention, staffing, care quality, and workforce strategy.

Explore Solutions for Smarter Workforce Management

We're proudly sponsored by AMN Healthcare, the leader in healthcare staffing and workforce solutions. Explore their services at AMN Healthcare.

Learn how AMN Healthcare's workforce flexibility technology helps health systems cut costs and improve efficiency. Click here to explore the case study and discover smarter ways to manage your resources!

Discover how WorkWise is redefining workforce management for healthcare.

Visit workwise.amnhealthcare.com to learn more.

About The Show:

Elevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Learn more about the show here.

Find Us On:
Website

YouTube

Spotify

Apple

Instagram

LinkedIn

X

Facebook

Powered by AMN Healthcare

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when language access moves from a compliance checkbox to a strategic priority? In part one of this two-part Elevate Care series, host Christin Stanford talks with Suzanne (Sue) Smith, System Director of Patient Experience at Main Line Health, about the evolving role of language services across a five-hospital system outside Philadelphia.

Sue walks through how her team reframed language access from a cost center function into an essential clinical tool, one that belongs alongside staff, medicine, and equipment as a core part of care delivery. She shares how Main Line Health doubled its device deployment, the operational and financial ripple effects that followed, and why quality, safety, and patient experience function as a three-legged stool that only stands when every leg holds.

The conversation also covers the human side of the equation: reduced staff burnout, stronger trust with patients who use American Sign Language, and fewer patients leaving without being seen. Sue makes the case that language access is not a cost center. It is a bridge for building relationships, supporting staff, and driving the kind of connected care that keeps patients coming back.

Key Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Language Access as a Strategic Priority

Meet Suzanne Smith

Suzanne "Sue" Smith serves as System Director of Patient Experience at Main Line Health, where she oversees connected care across five hospitals and more than 150 physician practices outside Philadelphia. With over 25 years in healthcare, Sue leads a team spanning patient navigators, EDI ambassadors, spiritual care, and volunteers, all focused on making sure every patient feels seen and understood. Her work centers on building bridges between data and humanity, using language access as one of the clearest expressions of patient-centered care.

Access the 2026 Healthcare Workforce Outlook Survey
Download the full report to explore what these findings mean for retention, staffing, care quality, and workforce strategy.

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About The Show:

Elevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Learn more about the show here.

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Nursing leadership has never carried more weight, or more complexity. In this episode of Elevate Care, host Steven Endsley sits down with Alan Vierling, Chief Nurse Executive at San Juan Regional Medical Center, to talk about what it actually takes to build a sustainable pipeline of nurse leaders in an environment defined by workforce shortages, generational shifts, and rising expectations for both quality and financial performance.

Alan brings a career's worth of perspective to the conversation, from his start as an operating room technician to leadership roles across Ohio, Texas, Michigan, and Alaska before landing at San Juan Regional. He shares candid insights on identifying leadership potential, the role of emotional intelligence in a text-driven generation, and why San Juan Regional has built structured programs like book clubs, skip-level meetings, and simulation-based coaching to develop leaders earlier in their careers.

The discussion also covers practical retention strategies, including sabbaticals for veteran managers, dedicated overnight support to reduce burnout, and New Mexico's unique childcare and tuition benefits designed to remove barriers for nursing staff. Alan closes with a grounded take on artificial intelligence in healthcare: a tool for sharper decision-making, not a replacement for the human connection that defines nursing.

Key Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Nursing Leadership Challenges

01:07 – Inside San Juan Regional Medical Center's Rural Trauma Network

05:26 – Alan Vierling's Path from OR Technician to Chief Nurse Executive

10:50 – Structured and Informal Leadership Development Tactics

13:55 – Identifying Leadership Potential and Emotional Intelligence

16:20 – Coaching the Next Generation Through Technology and Communication

20:18 – Barriers Facing Nurse Managers Today

25:07 – New Mexico's Childcare and Tuition Benefits for Nursing Staff

28:09 – Retention Strategies: Sabbaticals and Overnight Support

33:09 – Leading Through Crisis: Lessons from Covid-19

37:13 – Artificial Intelligence, Data, and the Future of Nursing

42:12 – Final Advice for Emerging Healthcare Leaders

Meet Alan Vierling

Alan Vierling is the Chief Nurse Executive at San Juan Regional Medical Center, a 200-bed, level three trauma facility serving the Four Corners region of New Mexico. With over 45 years in healthcare, Alan's career spans operational leadership roles in Ohio, Texas, Michigan, and Alaska, including serving as a hospital president and chief operating officer. His experience includes leading a hospital through a high-stakes Joint Commission survey, running a system-wide operational transformation initiative, and overseeing the Alaska Native Medical Center's trauma, clinic, and travel operations across the state. Alan holds a doctorate and is known for building leadership development programs centered on coaching, emotional intelligence, and workforce retention.

Access the 2026 Healthcare Workforce Outlook Survey
Download the full report to explore what these findings mean for retention, staffing, care quality, and workforce strategy.

Explore Solutions for Smarter Workforce Management

We're proudly sponsored by AMN Healthcare, the leader in healthcare staffing and workforce solutions. Explore their services at AMN Healthcare.

Learn how AMN Healthcare's workforce flexibility technology helps health systems cut costs and improve efficiency. Click here to explore the case study and discover smarter ways to manage your resources!

Discover how WorkWise is redefining workforce management for healthcare.

Visit workwise.amnhealthcare.com to learn more.

About The Show:

Elevate Care delves into the latest trends, thinking, and best practices shaping the landscape of healthcare. From total talent management to solutions and strategies to expand the reach of care, we discuss methods to enable high quality, flexible workforce and care delivery. We will discuss the latest advancements in technology, the impact of emerging models and settings, physical and virtual, and address strategies to identify and obtain an optimal workforce mix. Tune in to gain valuable insights from thought leaders focused on improving healthcare quality, workforce well-being, and patient outcomes. Learn more about the show here.

Find Us On:
Website

YouTube

Spotify

Apple

Instagram

LinkedIn

X

Facebook

Powered by AMN Healthcare

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.