Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1047089
69 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT THOUGHT LEADERSHIP me in doing these sessions is that I firm- ly believe our team members have the an- swers to a lot of our system's most complex questions. As leaders, our job is to empow- er them and create an environment where they can really work together and problem solve. It's fascinating to me when I listen to the conversations at the leadership level and then interact with our team. I can see what's working, what's not working and use that as a feedback loop. Q: How do your roles at Atlantic and the AHA affect each other? BG: One of the important things we've tried to do at Atlantic is design the organization and the leadership team around a series of princi- ples. One of the challenges as you continue to grow, particularly as you grow geographically, is how do you stay true to those principles. As we grow, we must ensure that our structures and processes follow those principles. e AHA is a well functioning organization, and I enjoy the travel component of the job because it's fascinating to see the differences throughout our country. e diversity in the country is really important to understand. When you sit here on the East Coast in a densely populated area, it's quite different than when I have an opportunity to go out in New Mexico and meet with some of our fron- tier or rural critical access hospital leaders. You learn a lot. at's one of the best things about the role at the AHA, I think — you get to see healthcare in all settings and in all cir- cumstances. You get to see the amazing work people do every day to provide access to care. Q: What do you like to get done be- fore lunch? BG: I'm a big fan of context, so I like to read the news, get current and make sure I under- stand what the moving parts are. Whether it's things that are happening in the health- care industry, or any other news, local or na- tional. To be quite honest I've never lived in a time where on an hourly basis things change so much in Washington, D.C. Staying con- nected on social media is another import- ant thing. I want to put myself in a position where I'm not surprised by the things that occur aer lunch. Q: How do you think your routine is different from that of other health- care executives? BG: I think there's a big difference between running a large system and running a hos- pital in terms of your daily routine. I miss being in a clinical area, I really do. I started my career as an emergency medical techni- cian, so I have this natural gravitation toward emergency departments. When I was direct- ly running hospitals, whenever I would need a break from the office, I'd just walk out the door and go down the hall and I'd be in a clinical area. at's a lot of fun and I miss it. Being in a corporate office, you've got to plan now, and it's an entirely different thing. My days are probably a little different than a lot of others, because I'm not in a clinical area, which is why I try to get out to clinical areas as much as a I can. One aspect of my routine that I hope is not different than my colleagues at other systems is a focus on staying healthy, because these are pretty rigorous jobs. ese are not eight-hour jobs, five days a week. I think a focus on exercise and staying well is an important element of my routine and the routines of others. Q: What would you say is the hardest part of your day? BG: Managing my time. Time is the enemy, there's just not enough of it. e team I work with is great at managing me and keeping me on task, and the team at the AHA has a great support system for their officers and the chair. ey include your family in the scheduling, which is really important. e other piece that's critically important is that the team at the AHA and the team that sup- ports me here at AHS are very connected and coordinated, and they do a great job working together since scheduling conflicts inherently occur. What we try to do is get a schedule a year or two ahead of time. Folks on my team make it look easy, so by the time it gets to me it's all solved. ey work great together. Q: What is the most rewarding part of your day? BG: Spending time in our clinical areas with our team members is really the most rewarding part for me. Seeing the work we do to support patients and communities is clearly the best part of my day. I think it's a privilege to do what I do, and I appreciate every day that I've spent in my career being able to do this. I can't think of a better job. Q: What's the last thing you like to do before you leave the office? BG: I like to make sure I'm ready for the next day. Again, I've got a great team that supports me. ey lay the next day out for me. ey've got all the materials I need, so I know what I need to bring with me in the event that I'm traveling or I know what I need to bring with me to make sure I'm ready for the next day's activities. Fortu- nately, a lot of that is done electronically now. We've got good systems to make sure I'm ready for the next day. Q: How do you unwind when you get home? BG: A lot of times I'm going to an event when I leave the office. Like tonight I am going to an outside board meeting and then a reception. ere are very few nights when you just leave the office and go home. I usu- ally leave the office to do something before I get home. It's not unusual for our nights to end at 9:00 or 10:00 p.m., aer events or meetings. If I miss my spin in the morning, I'll hop on my Peloton and do it at night. I also have a dog at home, so I like to walk Riley and spend some time with her. n "As leaders, our job is to empower [our staff] and create an environment where they can really work together and problem solve." — Brian Gragnolati, CEO, Atlantic Health System