Outside the Patient's Door

In this season of Outside the Patient’s Door, our guests shared how they’re tackling the ever-changing healthcare demands. The season was full of great ideas, stories, and advice, so before we close this chapter, we want to reflect on our guests' wisdom.

We’ll revisit three key themes that emerged throughout the season: serving the community, incorporating positivity, and improving performance.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• [00:45] Creatively partnering with your community with Helen Johnson, President of Sparrow Eaton Hospital
• [02:00] Sustaining your team’s engagement by focusing on the community with Neil Thornbury, CEO of T.J. Regional Health
• [02:50] Building a community of trust and empathy with Cleveland Francis, Diversity Advisor at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute
• [03:50] Caring for your community’s mental health with Patty Hillis-Clark, Executive Director at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health
• [04:40] Incorporating positivity into your day-to-day with Jennifer Krippner, Chief Experience Officer at the Institute for Healthcare Excellence
• [05:45] How positivity boosts productivity with Jordan Voigt, President of Genesis Medical Center - Davenport
• [06:35] Centralizing care with David Rahija, President of Northshore University HealthSystem
• [07:35] Fostering a psychologically safe environment with Kyle Kellum, CEO of Cherry County Hospital
• [08:45] Taking a data-driven approach to performance with Mark Boucot, President & CEO of Garrett Regional Medical Center and Potomac Valley Hospital

From cardiologist to professional musician to DEI advocate, Dr. Cleveland Francis’ experience runs the gamut.

Throughout his career, he’s experienced the highs and lows of both the music industry and the medical field.

In this episode, he shares his story of running a successful multicultural cardiology practice for over four decades – with a quick stint as a professional musician.

Dr. Francis sheds light on the importance of patient personalization, combating racism and bias in healthcare, and the power of building trust and empathy with patients. He also discusses his own struggles and how a record contract saved him from the stress of medicine.

Press play to hear Dr. Francis’ insights and learn how Inova Health System is leading the way in addressing social and racial issues in healthcare.

On this episode, you’ll hear:

• [00:30] Introducing Dr. Cleveland Francis, Diversity Advisor at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute
• [03:30] Opening a multicultural practice
• [04:30] Pursuing music and the importance of hobbies
• [08:00] Promoting DEI and addressing racism in healthcare
• [11:30] Addressing vaccine hesitancy
• [13:10] Engaging the community to increase minority representation

Good healthcare is all about caring for people holistically. It involves connecting with patients and engaging their support systems to optimize both physical and emotional outcomes.

In this conversation, Neil Thornbury, CEO of T.J. Regional Health, shares the importance of relationships in all areas of healthcare – between patients and providers, patients and their loved ones, and between fellow team members.

Neil also unpacks the lessons he learned from the pandemic, shares what factors influence employee engagement, and discusses the role of technology in healthcare.

On this episode, you’ll hear:

• [00:30] Introducing Neil Thornbury, CEO of T.J. Regional Health
• [02:30] How the pandemic shifted community needs
• [05:30] The role of telehealth and AI in the post-pandemic world
• [07:00] Lasting changes from the pandemic
• [11:00] Leading with transparency
• [14:15] Increasing employee engagement
• [18:00] Providing relationship-centered care

Establishing a clear mission for your staff is key to providing safe patient care.

When your team knows what they need to accomplish and feels empowered to do so, high quality care will naturally follow.

In this conversation, Mark Boucot, President and CEO of Garrett Regional Medical Center and Potomac Valley Hospital, shares how he’s hardwired safety into his team’s operations. Under his leadership, they’ve become a Top 20 Hospital as recognized by the National Rural Health Association.

As you listen, you’ll learn how to create a culture of safety for both staff and patients by implementing programs like peer support, frontline staff councils, and employee recognition.

On this episode, you’ll hear:

• [00:30] Introducing Mark Boucot, President and CEO of Garrett Regional Medical Center and Potomac Valley Hospital
• [02:30] Adopting Lean Six Sigma performance improvement models
• [05:30] Embracing a mindset of safety
• [10:00] Empowering employees to improve patient outcomes
• [14:30] Protecting staff from violence
• [18:30] Achieving top safety metrics and low readmission rates

The pandemic highlighted the importance of mental health, especially in children and adolescents. Many wrestled with anxiety and depression during lockdowns, and the struggle continued even after we returned to a sense of normalcy.

In this conversation, Pattie Hillis-Clark, Executive Director at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, discusses how the pandemic affected the mental health of young people and what healthcare leaders can do to equip patients and families to achieve positive outcomes.

She shares the challenges in the mental healthcare system, the unique stressors facing children today, and the importance of involving families in mental health.

On this episode, you’ll hear:

• [01:00] Introducing Pattie Hillis-Clark, Executive Director at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health
• [04:45] How the pandemic affected the mental health of children
• [08:30] The impact of information overload on mental health
• [10:00] Evidence-based practices for achieving positive outcomes
• [14:30] Investing in employee development
• [16:45] Understanding mental health vs. mental illness

In this season of Outside the Patient’s Door, we’re exploring innovative solutions to challenges healthcare leaders are facing today. We’ve touched on a variety of topics so far, from the importance of psychological safety to engaging your community.

We’ve been lucky to sit down with top healthcare leaders who have graciously shared their insights with us. In addition to the conversations you’ve been hearing, we also asked our guests to share the most important thing leaders can tackle for their organizations and the future of healthcare. In this episode, we’re sharing their answers.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• [01:00] Leading by example with Helen Johnson, President of Sparrow Eaton Hospital
• [01:30] Investing in your staff with Jennifer Krippner, Chief Experience Officer at the Institute for Healthcare Excellence
• [02:00] Taking a service line focused approach with David Rahija, President of Northshore Skokie Hospital
• [02:30] Two action items for all healthcare leaders with Kyle Kellum, CEO of Cherry County Hospital
• [03:30] Transitioning to value-based care with Jordan Voigt, President of Genesis Medical Center - Davenport
• [04:20] Mental health in leadership with Patty Hillis-Clark, Executive Director at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health
• [05:10] Effectively managing medical records with Mark Boucot, President & CEO of Garrett Regional Medical Center and Potomac Valley Hospital
• [05:55] Balancing expenses and high quality care with Neil Thornbury, CEO of T.J. Regional Health
• [06:50] Caring for patients on a personal level with Cleveland Francis, Diversity Advisor at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute

The happiness of your staff matters. It impacts their quality of life, and it also affects your patients’ outcomes and the effectiveness of your organization.

Jordan Voigt, President of Genesis Medical Center - Davenport, is a firm believer in the power of investing in your team’s happiness. Since taking on his current role, he’s prioritized training to equip his staff with a shared vision, common language, and tools for handling challenges. As you’ll hear, the results of this commitment to happiness speak for themselves.

Healthcare systems can be a powerful force for good in their communities, and the impact has the potential to reach far beyond physical health. When operated intentionally, local hospitals can provide economic stimulation, resources for social and emotional wellbeing, and steady jobs.

Helen Johnson, President of Sparrow Eaton Hospital, explains how her team has contributed to the flourishing of their community. She shares the creative strategies her healthcare system has used to meet the unique needs of its town. Through Helen’s story, you’ll see the ripple effect of leaders who put their communities first.

If you could provide improved patient outcomes while lowering your costs and increasing staff morale, you’d do it in a heartbeat, right?

Dave Rahija, President of Northshore Skokie Hospital, found that centralizing specialties in your healthcare system can be a win-win-win. It allows your care teams to develop confidence and expertise, you to incur lower costs, and your patients to receive better care.

In this conversation, Dave discusses how to decide whether to centralize care. He also addresses how to approach accountability according to your system’s structure, and how to leverage the benefits of both centralized and decentralized care within a single healthcare system.

In high-stakes environments, it’s easy to focus on what can go wrong. Our natural instinct is to prevent harm, but dwelling on risks takes our attention away from what really matters in healthcare—relationships with our patients.

Jennifer Krippner, Chief Experience Officer at the Institute for Healthcare Excellence, explains that human-centered care begins with relationships. If we’re constantly scanning our environments for signs of danger, we’ll miss opportunities to develop relationships and create a positive experience for our patients.

In this conversation, Jennifer discusses the connection between positivity and human-centered care and shares practices for hardwiring positivity into your workday.