The Gary Bisbee Show

Meet Alex Gorsky:

Alex Gorsky is the Executive Chairman of Johnson & Johnson and served as their CEO for almost a decade. Alex started his career at Johnson & Johnson as a sales representative and advanced through positions of increasing responsibility in sales, marketing, and management. Alex served in the Army for six years after completing his undergraduate education at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He also received an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Key Insights:

Alex Gorsky has over thirty years of experience at Johnson & Johnson. He shares his reflections on leadership in the pharmaceutical industry and across his career. 

• Setting Goals as CEO. For CEOs, Alex advises first listening and learning about the organization. Then, establish a clear and explicit set of priorities that are consistently communicated. (7:57)
• Examining the Spin-Off. Johnson & Johnson is splitting off its consumer health business. Alex explains that the pharmaceutical and medical, and consumer sectors were diverging in terms of regulation, production, and distribution. This split will unleash innovation and improve customer-centricity. (19:16)
• Partnerships in Technology. While discussing Johnson & Johnson’s partnership with Microsoft, Alex predicts that there will be a greater convergence of the biopharma and med tech space with technology usually associated with Silicon Valley. (27:06)

Relevant Links: 

• “Reflections and Gratitude” by Alex Gorsky
• “Alex Gorsky to Serve as Executive Chairman and Transition Role of Chief Executive Officer of Johnson & Johnson to Joaquin Duato, Effective January 3, 2022” Johnson & Johnson press release
• Watch “Distinguished Speakers Series: Alex Gorsky, Chairman and CEO, Johnson & Johnson”

Meet Elizabeth Fowler:

Elizabeth Fowler, J.D., Ph.D. is the Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMS Innovation Center). Previously, she was Executive Vice President for Programs at the Commonwealth Fund and served as Vice President for Global Health Policy at Johnson & Johnson. She received a Ph.D. in Health Policy from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a law degree from the University of Minnesota.

Key Insights:

The Innovation Center generates and tests new approaches for payment and delivery. It works to move the health system away from fee-for-service and towards a system that rewards better outcomes for patients.

• The Innovation Center’s Priorities. The top 5 priorities of the Innovation Center are driving accountable care, advancing health equity, supporting care innovation, improving access by addressing affordability, and creating partnerships with public and private entities to achieve transformation. (9:27)
• The Speed of Innovation. Healthcare transformation is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes around 18 months to two years to conceptualize and implement an innovation model, and three to five years to collect meaningful results. (12:36)
• Patient at the Center. Dr. Fowler emphasizes that innovation should result in better outcomes for the patient. The Innovation Center conducted focus groups to determine the metrics most important to patients, and to better communicate innovation in relatable terms. (23:57)  

Relevant Links: 

• Learn more about the Innovation Center
• Read Dr. Fowler’s articles from The Commonwealth Fund
• Follow the Innovation Center on Twitter

Meet Jim Citrin:

Jim Citrin is a Senior Director, Partner & Member of the Board of Directors at Spencer Stuart. He is an officer on the Executive Board of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and is a member of the Board of Girl Effect. Jim authored 7 books including “You’re in Charge, Now What?” and “Leading at a Distance.” He received an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics from Vassar College.

Key Insights:

Jim Citrin has 25 years of experience at Spencer Stuart and has completed more than 775 CEO, board member, and top management searches. 

• How to Interview. People tend to hire in their own image and based on judgements they make in the first few minutes. These are opportunities interviewees can utilize, as well as pitfalls interviewers should avoid. (11:09)
• Matching People to Companies. Jim shares a story of how understanding a potential CEOs greatest passion and proudest achievements made them the perfect match for an unexpected company. (15:07)
• The Zoom Advantage. Jim predicts that virtual work is here to stay. When managed correctly, virtual work inspires intrinsic motivation, facilitates better group decisions, and humanized coworkers. (33:19)

Relevant Links: 

• Pick up one of Jim Citrin’s books
• “The Power of Purpose: 4 Ways You Can Inspire Your Virtual Team” by Jim Citrin
• “Passing the Baton at The New York Times Company: A Conversation with Mark Thompson and Meredith Levien” By Jim Citrin

Meet Senator Joe Lieberman:

Senator Joseph Lieberman is the former United States Senator for Connecticut, which he served as for 24 years. He was also a state Senator and state Attorney General for Connecticut, and was a Vice Presidential Candidate. Sen. Lieberman is currently a co-chair for the organization No Labels. He has authored a number of books, and most recently published “The Centrist Solution: How We Made Government Work and Can Make It Work Again.”

Key Insights:

Senator Joseph Lieberman’s career spanned state and federal politics, and was defined by his centrist approach to policy making.

• Growing Partisanship. Sen. Lieberman describes some of the factors that contribute to the partisan divide including gerrymandering, money in politics, cable news, social media, and the decrease in civility on the internet. (4:00)
• No Labels. To combat ineffective gridlock, this organization brings together Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to foster compromise and two-party policy solutions. (22:16)
• Public Service. For young people interested in public service, Sen. Lieberman advises that they cultivate stamina, take risks, and earn the trust of their colleagues and constituents. (27:58)

Relevant Links: 

• Learn more about No Labels
• Check out Sen. Lieberman’s book: “The Centrist Solution: How We Made Government Work and Can Make It Work Again.”
• “Bring Back ‘Regular Order’” by Sen. Lieberman in the Wall Street Journal

Meet the Guests:
This episode features three leaders previously interviewed on The Gary Bisbee Show. Kaveh Safavi, M.D. is the Senior Managing Director at Accenture. Eric Topol, M.D. is the Founder & Director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute and author of “Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again.” Felicia Norwood is the Executive Vice President of Anthem and President of the Government Business Division.

Key Insights:

These experts proposed that leaders need to personalize, digitize, and simplify healthcare.

• Personalize. Dr. Safavi explains that each patient is unique due to their biology and personal preferences and so each patient wants a different care experience. (1:36)
• Digitize. Dr. Topol shares the many possibilities of AI in hospital administration. AI could help healthcare save costs, deliver better services, and improve the patient experience. (3:27) 
• Simplify. If she could snap her fingers and change one thing, Felicia would make healthcare simpler. (5:00)

Meet the Guests:
This episode features three leaders previously interviewed on The Gary Bisbee Show. Karen DeSalvo, M.D., is the Chief Health Officer at Google. Lieutenant General Scott Dingle is the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Medical Command. Hubert Joly is a Senior Lecturer at the Harvard Business School and the former Chairman and CEO of Best Buy.

Key Insights:

Leadership is a journey not a destination. Leadership is the accumulation of our abilities, experience, relationships, and reflections.

• Pace Yourself. Be passionate, but don’t race towards an end goal without taking the time to reflect, build relationships, and hone your skills. This will enrich your career and life. (1:45)
• Pursue Your Passion. LTG Dingle encourages young health professionals to live their dream. Be passionate, persistent, and precise. However, make sure to stay balanced and take care of yourself. (3:11)
• Write Your Own Eulogy. Hubert recommends that young leaders write their future retirement speech or eulogy to ensure that their career and life are a reflection what they value the most. (5:08)

Meet the Guests:
This episode features three healthcare leaders. John Glaser, Ph.D. is an Executive in Residence at Harvard Medical School, and currently serves on multiple boards including HL7, the Scottsdale Institute, Wellsheet, Relatient, and NCQA. Kevin Sharer is a senior lecturer at Harvard University Business School and is the former Chairman and CEO of Amgen. He currently serves on the board for Allied Minds and the US Naval Academy Foundation. Kevin previously sat on the boards of directors for Chevron, 3M, and Northrop Grumman. Mindy Mount is a board member of The Learning Care Group, Cerner Corporation, Zayo Group, Group Nine Acquisition Corporation, and Technicolor, where she is also Vice Chairman.

Key Insights:

Each leader gave slightly different answers; however, there are two key takeaways:

• Relationships. It is important for board members to have a good relationship among themselves and with the CEO. Teamwork facilitates many of the boards functions such as upholding a company’s vision, reaching consensus on strategy decisions, and monitoring and evaluating the CEO.
• Advisors Rather Than Managers. Board members advise rather than execute. This separation allows board members to act as outside observers and grants management flexibility in decision making and implementation.

Meet John Glaser, Ph.D.:

John Glaser, Ph.D. is an Executive in Resident at Harvard Medical School. Previously, Dr. Glaser joined Cerner Corporation as an Executive Senior Advisor, due to their acquisition of Siemens Health Services, where he was CEO. Prior to that, he served as the CIO for Partners HealthCare, now known as Mass General Brigham. Dr. Glaser sits on the board of directors for the Scottsdale Institute, NCQA, and Forbes Health Advisory Board.

Key Insights:

John Glaser is a thought leader in the field of healthcare IT. He has decades of experience and has watched the field grow as well as being instrumental in its development. 

• Collaboration. A recent article proposed moving the IT function under business units; however, Dr. Glaser sees that as a risky response to a performance problem. Better performance can be achieved through collaboration: when an IT group and business group work together, teach each other, and hold each other mutually accountable. (14:52)
• Interoperability. All industries face limits in interoperability. The best way to achieve interoperability is to focus on a limited set of transactions, clear business cases, and create a body that brings all players together to refine the details. (25:32)
• The Consumer. In a recent article in the Harvard Business Review, Dr. Glaser dives into 5 key principles to improve the patient experience with digital technology. One of those principles is to remember that patients are consumers. Healthcare systems need to provide great medical care as well as a good consumer experience. (32:12)

Relevant Links:

• Read “5 Principles to Improve the Patient Experience” by John Glaser in the Harvard Business Review
• Check out other articles written by Dr. Glaser in the Harvard Business Review
• Read other research and articles written by Dr. Glaser 

Meet Amir Dan Rubin:

Amir Dan Rubin is the Chair, CEO, and President of One Medical. He has previous experience in health insurance and at academic health centers. He was the Executive Vice President and Divisional CEO within Optum, the President and CEO at Sandford Health, the Chief Operating Officer at UCLA Health, and the Chief Operating Officer at Stony Brook University Medical Center. Amir has an MBA in Business Administration and an MHSA in Health Care Administration from the University of Michigan. 

Key Insights:

Amir Dan Rubin shares insights into One Medical’s unique membership model, and how it lowers costs and improves patient outcomes. 

• 90% Net Promoter Score. One Medical has a high score for customer experience because their model is built around the patient. One Medical charges a membership fee rather than fee-for-service, employees are salaried, there is virtual care and their technology encourages coordinated and frictionless care. (13:45)
• Member Rather Than Patients. One Medical decreases costs through easy access primary care and prevention that decreases emergency room use. Amir admits that the components aren’t novel, rather it’s how they work together. (23:37)
• It’s About People. If you are interested in mission-driven work, caring people, and an ever-changing field with big challenges, then healthcare is the right industry for you. Amir advises young leaders to find what they love, and be energized by it. (35:22)

Relevant Links:

• Learn more about One Medical
• “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare: Amir Dan Rubin” by Modern Healthcare
• “One Medical raises full-year guidance with surge in membership, confronts high medical loss ratio in Q3” by Fierce Healthcare

In This Episode:

The days are shorter and colder, but this second COVID-19 thanksgiving is much more hopeful than last year’s. At Think Medium we are thankful for many things. We are thankful for the healthcare workers who provided stellar care during such a stressful time. We are thankful that the percentage of our fellow Americans having been vaccinated continues to increase. And we are thankful to you, our audience, for being a part of our amazing journey. For this holiday episode, we asked leaders what they are thankful for and happiest about this Thanksgiving. 

Key Insights:

• Thank You Vaccines. Julie Yoo, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz and co-founder of Kyruus, shared that she is thankful for the advancement in mRNA vaccine technology and vaccine delivery. (1:50)
• Thank You (Almost) Normalcy. Matthew Dicks is a storytelling coach, bestselling author, and elementary school teacher. He is thankful that some aspects of life, such as teaching in person, have returned close to normal. (2:32)
• Thank You Science. Ruth Williams-Brinkley, President of Mid-Atlantic States at Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, shared her thankfulness for her family, friends, frontline workers, and researchers that developed the vaccines. (4:05)
• Thank You Life. Lieutenant General Scott Dingle is the Surgeon General of the United States Army and the Commanding General for the Army Medical Command. He is thankful for his health, family, and opportunity to serve Army Medicine. (8:09)