Becker's Hospital Review

106 106 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Becker's Clinical Leadership Virtual Event: 5 Qs with Dr. James Kravec, market chief clinical officer at Mercy Health Youngstown By Mackenzie Bean B ecker's spoke with James Kravec, MD, market chief clinical of- ficer at Mercy Health Youngstown (Ohio), as part of a series highlighting the healthcare leaders who are speaking or have spoken during our virtual events. Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity. Question: What clinical initiative is taking up most of your time and attention right now? Dr. James Kravec: I am focusing much of my time on the growth of pri- mary care and the need for increased patient access in offices and in our network. I know that the changing healthcare model will continue to focus on primary care quality metrics and network utilization. is is clear from what I observe and read about, locally and nationally. As we grow the net- work, we need primary care physicians, as well as increased access points, to allow for the quality measures in primary care to be best realized. Q: What is your biggest patient care concern amid the pandemic and how are you working to address it? JK: I worry about the patients who need chronic care and are choos- ing to stay home due to concerns about COVID-19. I have said many times that hospitals are safe, but I understand the concerns. We are working on virtual care and making this a mainstay in both primary care offices and hospital settings for physicians and family members who want to virtually visit. Virtual care was resisted by patients, phy- sicians and payers alike prior to the pandemic, but it seems like we have switched to across-the-board acceptance. Q: What's one lesson you learned early in your career that has helped you lead in healthcare? JK: I have oen heard the phrase "that's not my job." I find it to be a statement that can cause a person to be less successful in whatever field Tampa General CEO John Couris: Taking a step back to reflect amid COVID-19 By John Couris, President and CEO, Tampa General Hospital T here is no question that COVID-19 has changed the way we operate day to day. One thing that has re- mained constant — and should be respected — is the unpredictability of it. There is still so much we don't know. What we can say for sure is that each number that you see reported in the news is a person — an aunt, grandparent, sibling, spouse, friend or col- league. But the numbers have been the focus, not so much the stories behind the numbers. That is what needs to be shared. So while we cannot control much in this pandemic, what we can do is humanize the numbers and reflect on the millions of lives impacted by COVID-19. That is why I am going to share reflections from those that deal with this virus day in and day out. Starting with me. Let me just start by saying that one thing the virus has taught many of us is the importance of staying healthy. It has be- come a big focus for me, which is why on most days, I walk. I walk a lot — if time permits, that can be anywhere between 5 to 10 miles a day around Tampa Bay. Not only has it allowed me to gain a newfound appreciation for Tampa and South Tampa specifically, but I find that walking helps me stay on top of the virus, thinking about how I can keep my team, my patients and my community safe. The truth is, for many of us in healthcare, navigating through this time seems like a never-ending journey, but that's for another day. I have been in healthcare for a long time, and I will tell you two things: I have never witnessed more resilience and de- termination in my fellow colleagues. I have also never been more concerned. This is a global health crisis, and the virus has remained elusive in terms of the most effective treatment. I worry every day — how many of my community members will become sick, my team and even my family. I am a husband and a father, and I know my job puts us at risk. It's hard not to think about that as I leave for the hospital each morning. The virus is unpredictable, and I learned fairly quickly that it does not merely bring down the elderly and those with higher health risks. We have had healthy young folks on ventilators, and then there was my uncle. A tough Boston guy, in his early 70s living in a nursing home with diabetes that honestly, he has not done a great job of managing. When my cousin called to tell me he had COVID, I feared the worst. But that was March, and now it is August, and don't you know, he recovered and is as feisty as ever — be- ing especially thankful that the Sox are back on TV. While I can continue to share my thoughts and perspective on the issue, I think it is important to hear from others, in- cluding those in direct patient care. I plan to share some reflections of my fellow team members as well as continu- ing to offer my own insights — what I remember from those early days when COVID first hit, up until today. It is a trans- formative and ever-changing time, something that should be documented. n

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