Becker's Hospital Review

92 92 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Corner Office: St. Tammany CEO Joan Coffman on navigating change and leading with integrity By Kelly Gooch J oan Coffman, president and CEO of St. Tammany Health System in Covington, La., said she has faced challenges such as Hur- ricane Katrina and the COVID-19 pandemic, which have helped shape her leadership skills and improved her ability to deal with change. Ms. Coffman joined St. Tammany in 2018, aer serving as president and CEO of Hospital Sisters Health Sys- tem in Decatur, Ill. She also previously was president and CEO of Hospital Sisters Health System St. Joseph's Hospital in Chippewa Falls, Wis. Before Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, she served as assistant admin- istrator of New Orleans-based Lindy Boggs Medical Center, which closed because of flood damage from the hurricane. She also helmed the Louisiana Clinic, a multispecialty physician clinic in New Orleans. Here, Ms. Coffman answers Becker's seven Corner Office questions. Editor's Note: Responses were lightly edited for length and clarity. Question: What's one thing that really piqued your interest in healthcare? Joan Coffman: ose who serve in healthcare frequently feel called to serve. My daddy was an entrepreneur and small family business owner, and my mother was a nurse at a local medical practice. I oen visited her and became very intrigued by the physicians, clini- cians and support staff working together to care for patients and col- laborating with local business leaders to improve the quality of life in our community. My healthcare career began at St. Tammany Parish Hospital as a ra- diologic technologist and has truly come full circle. rough the years I transitioned into management and led hospitals in Wisconsin and Illinois before coming back home in 2018 to join our hospital family. I have found the perpetual change that is the nature of healthcare to be challenging, rewarding and inspiring. Our patients look to us to lead innovations in healthcare and provide high quality services — every patient, every touch, every time. Q: What do you enjoy most about Louisiana? JC: In so many ways, the Northshore, with Covington at the center, is really its own region. Country living layered with New Orleans' diverse characteristics offers the best of both worlds with our food, music and art rooted in Louisiana culture. We recognize that our little corner of Louisiana is special, and we try to honor that small-town history by treating our patients like family. As the service district for western St. Tammany Parish, we have created a destination center of excellence, and patients from a broad radius encompassing St. Tammany, Wash- ington, Tangipahoa and western Florida parishes, the south shore, and even Mississippi, oen choose us for their healthcare needs. Q: What's one piece of advice you remember most clearly? JC: My father and two of his brothers owned a True Value Hardware in Metairie, La., where I worked summers in high school. eir active efforts to serve their customers in a genuine and positive way — lead- ing with integrity — was an important lesson that has remained with me throughout my career. Many years later when the store closed, my daddy received a letter from a customer that ended with the following statement, "ere are places to go for what you sold, but none for what you gave away." Extraordinary service and positive relationships add value in any industry — particularly healthcare. at is a profound re- sponsibility, and one I am grateful to be a part of and live out each day. Q: If you could eliminate one of the healthcare industry's problems overnight, which would it be? JC: An issue that I am passionate about is increasing access to qual- ity healthcare, particularly in my home state of Louisiana. Louisiana has ranked near the bottom of U.S. rankings in resident health met- rics including disease rates, obesity, childhood poverty, smoking and violent crime, which are all factors in determining which states are the healthiest. It is an ambitious goal, but addressing the most critical health needs of our population through preventive care and early in- tervention would improve the quality of life for many of our residents. Q: What is your greatest talent or skill outside of the C-suite? JC: A skill I have learned over time is the ability to deal with change, although this was not always my strongest attribute. Dealing with the challenges of Hurricane Katrina, subsequently closing a hospital due to extensive flood damage and leaving the great state of Louisiana to explore new career opportunities was a huge adjustment. But the ex- perience was life-changing and helped shape the leadership skills I carry with me today. ere are many things in life we cannot control, so I've learned to let go and focus my energy on how I respond. Active listening is a big part of this tool kit. Q: How do you revitalize yourself? JC: e pandemic has brought more emphasis on the little things in life and what I have missed the most this past year. I enjoy my time at home, either spending time with family, relaxing outdoors, or even reading a book. I also find great peace looking out my kitchen win- dow and watching our two Tennessee Walkers grazing in the pasture, as it brings a sense of calm even aer the most hectic day. e way I revitalize is by focusing on the present and embracing quiet moments of well-being. Q: What do you consider your greatest achievement at St. Tammany? JC: One of the most memorable experiences in my healthcare career is the one I am living and witnessing right now — our health system's response to COVID-19. As this pandemic continues to ebb and flow, our outstanding caregivers have responded time and again, and it has made them even stronger as our leaders and colleagues work through each situation together. No one could have anticipated what has trans- pired this past year, and we are grateful to have skilled team members who feel called to this work. What makes me proudest is leading this caring, dedicated and courageous team. n

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