Interview with a Healthcare Management Professional

Tell us a little about yourself

I am from St. Louis, MO. My husband and I have one child, and our family loves to explore and spend time outdoors. I have a Bachelor of Science in Health Management and Policy (HMP) and a Master in Health Administration (MHA) with a triple concentration in finance, population health, and performance improvement.

Why did you choose a career in healthcare management?

I wanted to make a widespread impact and improve the lives of others. I discovered the non-clinical side of healthcare during my undergraduate studies when a friend had to go to the emergency department. We waited for over 10 hours, and I was shocked to see such conditions in a first-world country. Seeing patient beds in hallways and people sitting on the floors of the waiting room inspired me to be part of the solution.

Can you describe your role as the Executive Director of Operations? What are your primary responsibilities?

I am responsible for nursing operations across over 40 hospitals. My primary responsibilities include setting a strategy and translating that strategy planning into sustainable action.

What are the key objectives or goals of your clinical operations department for this year or the near future?

Our main objective is care delivery transformation, achieved through three focuses: Serve (people), Deliver (performance), and Transform (vision).

– Serve: Optimize workforce layers and strengthen academic partnerships to enhance quality co-worker pipelines.
– Deliver: Mature staffing and scheduling technology, transition from staffing ratios to workload indicators, and embed evidence-based and data-driven practices to eliminate inefficiencies.
– Transform: Create frictionless environments, optimize supply chain processes, and enhance professional nursing structures to improve decision-making, communication, professional identity, and job satisfaction.

Can you provide examples of successful projects or initiatives that have positively impacted clinical operations and patient care in your organization?

– Led the development, implementation, and growth of Mercy Works on Demand, an application for incentive shift pick-up, across 40 hospitals. Over 300,000 shifts have been claimed, achieving an 88% fill rate, a 12% reduction in average hourly rate, and over $10 million reduction in agency spend, along with $30.7 million in premium labor savings.
– Led the deployment of the UKG Dimensions Advanced Staffing and Scheduling system, integrating shift pick-up and payout technologies for over 16,000 co-workers.
– Developed and implemented an on-demand nursing gig co-worker program, with over 3,500 applications submitted across four states, achieving a 60% conversion rate and a 70% shift pick-up rate monthly.
– Led two hospital acquisitions, integrating operational practices and empowering new facilities to adopt health system standards.

What strategies have you found to be the most beneficial when improving employee morale?

Empowering those you work with is crucial. It’s not about being critical of opportunities but about how we empower and instill excellence in the operating system, building confidence in our leaders and co-workers to achieve their maximum potential.

Given the large number of cases detailing physician burnout, how do you balance minimizing burnout while continuing to provide treatment for large amounts of patients?

Focusing on workload is critical to managing nursing burnout, which helps bring joy back to nursing.

What metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs) do you track to measure the success of clinical operations initiatives?

The metrics we track depend on the initiative. A few key performance metrics include:

1. Workforce turnover rate
2. Workforce applicants
3. Fill rate
4. Workforce utilization hours
5. Workforce average hourly rate (AHR)
6. Premium labor rate spend
7. Standard nursing roles
8. Bed capacity
9. ED boarders
10. Hand-offs

Do you think individuals leading clinical programs should have prior experience with clinical work (such as nurses or physicians), or are those with primarily business experience well-equipped to handle these tasks in healthcare settings?

I believe a dyad—a strong partnership between clinical and business skill sets—is important because you can leverage each other’s strengths.

How do you stay updated on industry trends, best practices, and advancements in clinical operations?

To stay updated on industry trends, I continuously learn through reading and learning from others both within and outside of my organization.