Roundtables

4 Health System Leaders Define Their Top Priorities, Challenges and What is Most in Need of Innovation in Healthcare By Molly Gamble F our health system CEOs from different parts of the country weigh in on the most important thing they do, the biggest challenges they've faced in the past year, the com- plexities of healthcare technology and what in healthcare is most in need of change. Question: What is the most important thing a hospital or health system CEO can do today? Dr. Steven Altschuler: When people talk about what makes a leader great — and I think this is especially true when they are referring to CEOs — they talk about the leader's ability to simultaneously manage the present, selectively forget the past and create the future. We know there is change on the horizon. e change is probably not mov- ing as quickly as we once thought it would, based on the [Patient Protection and] Affordable Care Act and other forces, but there's definitely a need to focus on the work underway today while at the same time understanding what the future might hold for the organization. Dr. Steven Safyer: At Montefio- re, our most important focus is the patients and their families, and the patient experience is our first priority. is means tending to [patients'] medical needs as well as their mental health and social needs, treating the whole person. Montefiore physicians, nurses and others on the care team have always responded to our patients' needs in innovative ways. We incorporate that em- phasis on the patient experience at our Centers of Excellence in cardiovascular services, oncolo- gy, transplantation and pediat- rics, offering multidisciplinary expertise and well-coordinated care. We foster and vigilantly work to support a culture and environment in which all Mon- tefiore associates can succeed in providing an optimal patient experience. Warner omas: e most im- portant thing a hospital or health system CEO can do is create a clear strategic direction for their organization and make sure it's properly communicated to the board, management and employ- ees — and that it is fully under- stood throughout the organiza- tion. As CEO, my job is to lead the team. e CEO also has to set the tone for the culture of the organiza- tion and the expectations within the organization. At Ochsner, we always talk about patients first in everything we do. We started our Power of One communications initiative to remind every em- ployee that each one of us makes a difference and that each one of us plays an important role, no matter what your job title, in how we take care of our patients. Dan Wolterman: e most criti- cal thing an executive leader can do is set a clear and compelling vision with easy-to-understand strategic initiatives. All constitu- encies, including employees, phy- sicians, boards and the commu- nity, should clearly understand where our system is going and how it will get there — that's the most critical thing. Q: What has been the biggest challenge for you or your orga- nization in the past year? How are you overcoming it? SA: e biggest challenge for CHOP is keeping up with the de- Top Priorities, Challenges & Innovation in Healthcare 2

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