In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Warner Thomas, President and CEO, Ochsner Health System to discuss how a greater organizational scale allowed a more efficient response to COVID and the continued growth and development of regional health systems. We also talked about key issues in healthcare like affordability, the next generation leaders of health systems, and the importance of digitization and scientific innovation for the future.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Kevin Tabb, M.D., President and CEO, Beth Israel Lahey Health, to discuss the current COVID surge and how caregivers are handling the steady pressure. We also discussed the role out of the COVID vaccine and how the pandemic has changed the role of c-suite leaders.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we learn more about the Yale Cultural Ambassador Program and its success in accelerating minority participation in the Yale School of Medicine’s clinical research.

The background, of course, is that minority participation in clinical trials is a long-standing, national challenge. Minority communities are distrustful of clinical research due, in part, through misguided past research trials such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Further, communication with minority communities about science and research has been sparse and not generally creative or thoughtful.

The Yale Cultural Ambassador Program was designed to increase minority participation in clinical trials, which it has accomplished beyond expectations. Furthermore, it has bridged the minority and scientific communities and there are open lines of communication about COVID, vaccines, and youth exposure to science and medicine.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we welcome four CEO’s who have been previous guests on the show to talk about what they have learned during the COVID crisis and look ahead to priorities in 2021.

We’re pleased to welcome Dr. Craig Samitt, President and CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota; Dennis Murphy, President and CEO, Indiana University Health; Ken Paulus, President and CEO, Prime Therapeutics; and Dr. Janice Nevin, President and CEO, Christiana Care Health System

In this special holiday episode of Fireside Chat, we’ve asked five CEOs, all of whom have appeared previously on this show, to share with us what they believe to be the most important attributes of a leader during a crisis.

Across these conversations, there was a clear consensus that over-weighting communication, embracing the organization’s culture, sharing the truth, being visible, and conveying a positive attitude were essential attributes of crisis leadership.

Joining us on the show were Dennis Pullin, President and CEO at Virtua Health; Redonda Miller, M.D., President, The Johns Hopkins Hospital; Steve Corwin, M.D., President and CEO, NewYork-Presbyterian; Peter Fine, President and CEO, Banner Health; and Russ Cox, CEO of Norton Healthcare.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Kevin B. Mahoney, CEO, University of Pennsylvania Health System to talk about how healthcare systems impact the economies around them and the need for systems to lower costs in the future. We also discussed how the COVID crisis has reawakened the realization that public health is important to good personal health for many and it contributes to a healthy economy.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Dr. Harold (Hal) Paz, EVP and Chancellor for Health Affairs, The Ohio State University, and CEO, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center to discuss social determinants of health and transforming a health system to a health platform. We also talk about key characteristics of a leader in a crisis and new health strategies in the COVID era.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Dr. Nancy Brown, Dean, Yale School of Medicine, to discuss her impressive background and successes in medicine and research. We also talked about her priorities developed during her first 10 months at the School of Medicine and the Yale Cultural Ambassadors Program along with the major successes it has had in increasing diversity enrollment in Yale clinical trials.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we catch up with some former guests of the show to find out what they are most thankful for personally and professionally this Thanksgiving season.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with William Zollars, former Chairman and CEO, YRC Worldwide and a former Kodak executive to talk about the primary reason for Kodak falling from the number three brand name in the world to bankruptcy. We also discussed key leadership lessons that William learned through his time at Kodak which impact his leading other companies.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Jeff Goldsmith, Ph.D., President, Health Futures, Inc. to discuss healthcare payment models and the need for commercial companies, providers, and the government to lower the administrative burdens on providers to increase usability. We also talked about the contrast of the U.S. fee for service payment model with other western countries to which the U.S. is frequently compared.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Dr. Marschall Runge, CEO Michigan Medicine, and Dean, University of Michigan Medical School to talk about the opportunities of being a leader and the importance of being humble. We also discussed how the COVID crisis has impacted the University of Michigan’s finances and in terms of research, delivery of medical care, and the workforce.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Dennis Pullin, President, and CEO, Virtua Health to discuss the acceleration of certain strategies as a response to COVID. We also discussed innovations in technology that will continue to add efficiencies and improve the practice and delivery of medical care, using telehealth as a prime example. We also talked about remote working and the need to address social determinants of health.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Robert W. Roth, President and CEO, RoMan Manufacturing and Board Chair, Spectrum Health to discuss the responsibilities of the board chair and the importance of a clear and positive relationship with the CEO. We also discussed the role a board plays during a crisis and the key characteristics of a leader in the midst of a crisis.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Roxanna Gapstur, Ph.D., R.N., President and CEO, WellSpan Health to discuss how her career as a nurse has informed her leadership style and decision making as a health system CEO. We also discuss scale and why it matters and how remote working will impact the workforce and facility planning in the days ahead.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Michael Ugwueke, President and CEO, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare to discuss the hope that the COVID crisis can catalyze health systems as they continue their forward progress. We also discussed the view of the importance of a reliable supply chain for PPE and the compassion a leader must have in a crisis.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Dr. Rod Hochman, President and CEO, Providence St. Joseph Health to talk about the impact of the crisis on the longer-term impact of the COVID crisis on health systems, key characteristics of a leader in a crisis, and discussion of what the federal government can do to lead change in healthcare and balance its role as a regulator while encouraging innovation.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Jim Skogsbergh, President and CEO, AdvocateAurora Health to talk about a strategic path of transforming the core, placing the consumer first, and providing services for the whole person’s health. We also discussed AdvocateAurora’s response to the COVID crisis, social determinants of health, and the characteristics of a leader in a crisis.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Peter Fine, President and CEO, Banner Health to discuss lessons learned from the COVID crisis under the assumption that there will be other health crises in the future. We also talked about the need for a reliable PPE supply chain and the important characteristics of a leader in a crisis.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Michael Dowling, President and CEO, Northwell Health to talk about his role in leading through the COVID crisis in the epicenter of the pandemic in New York City. We also covered a list of the key topics for health system leaders, including why scale matters, and how Michael thinks about growing government payments to health systems.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Dr. Craig E. Samitt, President and CEO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota to discuss his background in both provider and health insurance organizations and how lessons learned in each are transferable. We also talked about the relationship between health systems and health plans and the evolution from the traditional fee-for-service system to a value model.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Andrew Wisdom, Board Chair, Ochsner Health and President, Crescent Capital Consultants to talk about his wide-ranging governance experience. Wisdom has served on numerous non-profit boards and discussed the unique expectations and responsibilities for sitting on healthcare, higher education, and community services boards.  He shares the three key questions to be asked when considering joining a non-profit board. He also talked about the characteristics of a leader during a crisis based on his experience with Katrina, H1N1, the 2008-2009 recession, and now, COVID-19.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, with Kevin Tabb, M.D., President and CEO, Beth Israel Lahey Health to discuss the merger between Beth Israel Deaconess and Lahey, the impact that COVID has had on telehealth services, and the characteristics of a leader during a crisis.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Robert P. Kelly, former Chairman and CEO, Bank of New York Mellon, to discuss lessons learned from the 2008-2009 financial crisis that are relevant to health systems and all organizations working through the current COVID crisis. We also discussed the macro-economics of the pandemic and the challenges organizations will face in the recovery.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Jason Gorevic, CEO, Teledoc Health to talk about the acceleration of telehealth due to the COVID crisis and how physicians need to understand and act on the differences between a webside manner and bedside manner. We also discussed engaging patients and tracking telehealth innovation by hospitals and health systems.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Dr. Brian Nester, President and CEO, Lehigh Valley Health Network to discuss Dr. Nester’s path from his three-year tenure as Chief Strategy Officer to becoming CEO. We also talked about the importance of density in transmitting COVID in Lehigh Valley’s service areas, and how a value-based model needs to replace the prevailing fee for service system to provide a broad base of services to the community and a solid financial base for health systems.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Scott Reiner, CEO, Adventist Health to discuss the new organizational structure with three divisions: Care Division, Well-Being Division, and the Managed-Health Division. We also talked about the role of a leader during a crisis and how Adventist Health altered its Cap-Ex spending as a result of COVID.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Dr. Janice Nevin, President and CEO, ChristianaCare Health System to talk about her evolution as a leader and the rewards of helping employees exceed expectations. Dr. Nevin also spoke the need for women in healthcare administration and the importance of having a well-rounded portfolio of experience. We discussed social determinants of health and how ChristianaCare is investing in the community.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with James Staten, Senior Vice President and CFO at the University of Southern California to talk about the leadership lessons gained throughout his professional career in public accounting and his experience in the formation of NewYork-Presbyterian to the expansion of the Yale-New Haven Health System. We also discussed other learnings from his career in healthcare and how that has served him in his role in academia.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with David S. Chernow, President and CEO, Select Medical to discuss how Select’s decision to accept all COVID patients was predetermined by their corporate strategy, the outline of the post-acute care business, where scale matters most, and the keys to successful partnerships where solid operations make the difference.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Chris Howard, President and CEO, Sharp HealthCare to discuss the breakdown of Sharp’s capitated and fee-for-service revenues and how capitated revenue provides a more stable revenue base. We also spoke about the new core competency of scaling up and scaling down developed in response to the crisis, and lessons learned during the COVID pandemic that are contributing to the new normal in healthcare.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Dr. Redonda Miller, President, The Johns Hopkins Hospital about the need for a reliable PPE supply chain and the necessity of governmental stockpiles, how telemedicine visits grew overnight from 35 to 20,000 per week, the strategy for educating the community to return for necessary surgery and treatments, and the top characteristics of a leader in a crisis.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Ken Paulus, President and CEO, Prime Therapeutics to discuss the role of a PBM and its value equation, barriers to quality and outcomes confronting caregivers, and the need for physicians to be in charge of complicated care paradigms.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Dr. James Linder, CEO, Nebraska Medicine to talk about his storied career at the University of Nebraska, a leader’s most important characteristic in times of crisis, and the role of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit and National Quarantine Unit in treating some of the first COVID patients from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Dr. Steve Corwin, President and CEO, NewYork-Presbyterian to talk about being in the epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis, the heroism of the healthcare workers battling the pandemic and the resolve of people bonding together in a difficult time.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Russell Cox, President and CEO, Norton Healthcare to talk about the increase in telehealth visits in healthcare, characteristics of a leader in a crisis and the fundamental learning from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sat down with Peter McCanna, President, Baylor Scott & White Health System to discuss dual transformation for a large health system, the fundamentals of a health system business model, how to think about an asset-light structure and its relationship to the health continuum, digitization, and how to attract top-tier talent. read more…

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we caught up with Peter Fine, President, and CEO of Banner Health. We discussed visibility, healthcare affordability, and using clinical data responsibly.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we caught up with Tina Freese Decker of Spectrum Health. We discussed physician leadership, the changing definition of healthcare, Spectrum’s integrated model, and her transition to CEO.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we spoke with Dr. Paul Rothman, Dean and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Dr. Rothman talks with us about precision medicine, AI, and technology in the future of healthcare. 

In our latest Fireside Chat, we sat down with Mike Butler to talk about scaling a healthcare organization, how deconstruction leads to growth and managing affordability. Mike Butler is the President of Operations and Strategy at Providence St. Joseph Health.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sit down with Marna Borgstrom, CEO of Yale New Haven Health System. Marna talks to us about improving patient care, the price of healthcare, and academic medicine.

In this episode of Fireside Chat, we sat down with Dr. Tom Mihaljevic, CEO of Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Mihaljevic took some time to discuss family culture, global expansion, technology in medicine, and Cleveland Clinic’s five-year plan. read more…

On this episode, Gary sits down with Terry Shaw, President and CEO of AdventHealth.

Terry and Gary discuss how Terry rose from summer intern to CEO over a 35 year career, what his top challenges and lessons have been as a CEO, and how his team is driving AdventHealth to evolve and innovate ahead of the marketplace.

read more…

Fireside Chat is a weekly podcast discussing how leading health system CEOs and healthcare leaders are navigating the evolving healthcare landscape while leading high-performing teams and driving innovation across the industry.

Join Gary Bisbee, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of The Health Management Academy as he conducts weekly interviews with leading thinkers and executives in healthcare.