Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1383677
107 107 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Michigan Medicine CFO sees light at the end of the tunnel By Lauren Jensik P aul Castillo has been Michigan Medicine's CFO since 2011. He spoke with Becker's Hospital Review in April and reflected on the pandemic and his priorities for the health system's future. Editor's note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity. Question: What are some of the biggest trends you've seen at Michigan Medicine since the beginning of the pandemic? Paul Castillo: One of the major trends is the substan- tial growth and support of virtual care. Support comes in many forms — the willingness of physicians to deliv- er and patients to receive care in a virtual setting; the availability and utilization of multiple technology plat- forms enabling virtual care; and the willingness of pay- ers to expand virtual care coverage. All parties have ex- perienced new learnings, and I anticipate the industry will see continued expansion of virtual care. Similarly, the virtual approach has expanded to nonclin- ical services. Administratively, we have learned that we can work efficiently in remote settings, which creates new ways to think about work. I would be remiss if I did not mention the importance of the li- quidity and operational support provided by federal and state governments. These financial resources have been crucial to our ability to continue to be available for our communities. Q: Where do your priorities lie as far as seeing the hos- pital out of the pandemic? PC: The most important priority does not change, and that is to take care of the communities we serve. That includes ensuring vaccination is available to all faculty and staff and to provide vaccination support for our community. At the same time, our industry is balancing the need to take care of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. We are optimis- tic that the light at the end of the tunnel is near. Q: Michigan Medicine had to postpone surgeries again as the state experienced another COVID-19 surge in April. What kind of challenges did this wave present? PC: It is difficult to disrupt patient lives and adjust oper- ations when experiencing a surge. However, these deci- sions are made in the best interest of our patients while also enabling care capacity for those in need. While our staff has been challenged, they have also demonstrated a resiliency I believe is characteristic of those who choose the healthcare industry and service. n CEO + CFO VIRTUAL FORUM AUGUST 4, 2021 | 10 AM - 1 PM CT Go to events.beckershospitalreview.com/august-ceo-cfo-virtual-forum to see the full agenda and RSVP. Kari Cornicelli, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Phoenix Children's Robin Damschroder, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Henry Ford Health System Roxanna L. Gapstur, PhD, RN, President and Chief Executive Officer, WellSpan Health Ketul Patel, Chief Executive Officer, CHI Franciscan Alexa Kimball, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Sanjay Shetty, MD, President, Steward Health Care North America Nancy Howell Agee, President and Chief Executive Officer, Carilion Clinic Robert "Bo" Cofield, Chief Executive Officer, Prisma Health Richland Hospital