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67 67 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Corner Office: NCH Healthcare System CEO Paul Hiltz on why community collaboration will be his biggest legacy By Kelly Gooch P aul Hiltz joined Naples, Fla.-based NCH Healthcare System on Sept. 3. Although he has only been on the job for six months, he said he's already spent a lot of time listening to NCH em- ployees, community leaders and others to respond to their insights. Mr. Hiltz joined NCH from Mer- cy Medical Center in Canton, Ohio, where he served as president and CEO. He also held the top post at Springfield, Ohio-based Community Mercy Health Partners and served as president and CEO of Mercy Mt. Airy Hospital in Cincinnati. He has a master's degree in healthcare administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati. Here, Mr. Hiltz answers Becker's Corner Office questions. Editor's note: Responses have been edited lightly for length and clarity. Question: What piqued your interest in healthcare? Paul Hiltz: My relative, Sister Grace Marie Hiltz, when I was a kid was CEO of Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati. In those days, we'd go visit her, we would walk through the hospital, and I thought it was a fascinating place to work with all the different kinds of people. It made me want to work in a hospital. Q: What do you enjoy most about Naples? PH: I love the teamwork in this community. is community really wants this health system to be successful. ere's a community col- laboration. ere's a strong doctor collaboration. ere are a lot of generous donors here also. at teamwork between the doctors and the donors makes it a great place to work. Q: If you could eliminate one of the healthcare industry's problems overnight, which would it be? PH: e access problem and getting people better access. I think part of the access problem is around confusion among the consumers, not knowing how to get access to [healthcare] services they need. And the confusion around who pays for it and how that works. I would like to make it easy for people to get the care they need. at's the biggest thing I'd love to solve. Q: What is your greatest talent or skill outside the C-suite? PH: I try to be a problem-solver in all areas of my life and help solve whatever problems I can. Q: How do you revitalize yourself? PH: I take walks on the beach. I play tennis or read or spend time with friends and my wife. Q: What is one piece of advice that you remember most clearly? PH: My mother always had a simple piece of advice: "Be kind." Q: What do you consider your greatest achievement at NCH Healthcare System? PH: e biggest thing I've done in my first six months is I've spent a lot of time listening at all levels — from employees, communi- ty leaders, doctors, elected officials. I think that may end up being my biggest legacy, is that I'm going to listen and be very responsive to this community. n S P E C I A L G U E S T K E Y N O T E S John Bolton National Security Advisor (2018- 2019); U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (2005-2006); Senior Adviser, Rhone Group Howard Dean MD, Former Chairman, Democratic National Committee and Former Governor of Vermont Nikki Haley Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. (2017-2019) John C. Goodman President, Goodman Institute for Public Polic y Research Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Legend, Successful Entrepreneur and Author, The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring Shaquille O'Neal 4x NBA Champion, Co-Host of TNT's "Inside the NBA" Sarah Kliff Investigative Repor ter, The New York Times BECKER'S HOSPITAL REVIEW 6TH ANNUAL HEALTH IT + REVENUE CYCLE CONFERENCE October 13-16, 2020 | Navy Pier, Chicago REGISTER NOW! bit.ly/3bj3lnH | registration@beckershealthcare.com | 800.417.2035