Thomas Tran, who served as CFO for Molina since June 2018, retired from his post effective Wednesday. Through an agreement, he will offer "transition services and make himself available as reasonably requested by the company" through May 31, according to the form.
Molina will provide Tran with $1.75 million compensation for his transition services, to be paid after his termination date.
Molina originally announced Tran's intent to retire and the transition of CFO to Keim, in a press release last November.
"I want to thank Tom for his tremendous contributions to Molina over the past two and a half years," Joe Zubretsky, Molina president and CEO, said in the press release. "During his tenure as CFO, Tom played a key role in driving the company’s margin recovery and sustainability. Tom’s leadership was instrumental to Molina’s transformation, and we are pleased that we will continue to benefit from his insights and expertise over the coming months in advance of his retirement. On a personal note, when Tom is officially retired, I will miss his tenacity, wisdom, and good nature."
Keim, who joined Molina in January 2018 as executive vice president of strategic planning, corporate development, and transformation, will receive a new base salary of $850,000, an increase of his previous $650,000 base salary. He could also receive a 100% bonus of his base salary and "a target long-term equity incentive grant for 2021" of $3.5 million.
"We are delighted that Mark will transition into the CFO role and will continue to build upon our great momentum. Mark has deep familiarity with the company and his experience in finance, strategy, and corporate development make him the perfect choice for this position," Zubretsky continued in the press release. "Since joining Molina in 2018, Mark has architected our enterprise strategy, executed our M&A strategy, engineered and executed our capital structure transformation, and played an instrumental role in developing external partnerships that increased Molina’s capabilities and reduced its costs. Mark will remain a great asset in his expanded role as we continue driving our growth strategy and business."
Kenneth Jones, MHA, MBA will serve as CEO of Northwest Medical Center, a 289-bed medical center and healthcare complex which serves communities in northern Broward County and southern Palm Beach County in Florida.
Jones succeeds Erica Gulrich, who served as COO of Northwest Medical Center from 2013 to 2015, then served as CEO of the Margate, Florida-based medical center from 2015 to December 2020.
Jones has over 20 years' experience in hospital administration and clinical operations. In his most recent role, Jones served as president of AMITA Health Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, Illinois, a full-service facility with 215 beds.
Prior to that, Jones served as CEO of St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, Florida, and CEO of The Orthopedic Hospital, also located in Fort Wayne, which is part of Lutheran Health Network. He also served as CEO of Heekin Orthopedic Specialists in Jacksonville.
"Kenneth brings strong operational experience to Northwest Medical Center," Charles Gressle, president of HCA East Florida Division, said in the press release. “His experience with key services, such as women’s services and cardiovascular surgery, ensure we continue to grow programs that meet the needs of the communities we serve in Broward and Palm Beach counties. We welcome him to the HCA East Florida family.”
HCA East Florida serves eastern Florida through 15 hospitals, numerous care facilities, and a supply chain center.
Northwest Medical Center and HCA East Florida are affiliates of Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), a for-profit health system with 180 hospitals and over 200 care sites that span 21 states and the United Kingdom.
According to the company's latest earnings report, HCA Healthcare recorded a net income of $1.4 billion in Q4, up nearly $400 million year-over-year.
NEBGH CEO Candice Sherman shares insights into the guide and how employers can prepare for another pandemic.
Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH) recently released a guide for employers to manage the current COVID-19 pandemic and future pandemic situations.
The beginning of the pandemic presented employers with many unknowns and a learn-on-the-fly mentality, so NEBGH wanted to compile those learnings and create a guide for future pandemic responses.
"We thought it was important to pull together all of the learnings and best practices from the last year, so that now, and in the future, folks have our resource that they can [utilize,"] Candice Sherman, CEO of NEBGH, told HealthLeaders.
Sherman added that due to the ongoing vaccination effort around the country, employers may start bringing employees back to the workplace if they haven't already.
She said this is an “opportune time” for employers of all types to “review and refresh what they have in place, [look into] what more they might need to do [to be prepared,] and what some of the new challenges will be."
While focused on the acute, short-term issues presented by COVID-19, NEBGH is also looking ahead to the next potential pandemic situation.
"Experts are certainly predicting that this will not be the last pandemic we have to face, and so it's important to be prepared for whatever lies ahead," Sherman said.
Among the recommendations in the guide are seven action steps that HR and benefit managers can take to mitigate the damage from a widespread viral outbreak:
Ground pandemic response and recover in key principles
Create COVID-safe workplaces
Enhance the work-from-home experience
Navigate return-to-work effectively
Adapt benefits to address COVID (and COVID-related) challenges
Develop a compelling vaccine engagement strategy
Prepare now for the next pandemic
"All of them are critically important," Sherman said about the action steps. "It's important to rely on science and data, and we felt it was important to provide resources that are reliable and dependable."
Sherman did point out that communication is one of the strongest points employers can make during the pandemic, noting that organizations have learned that in this kind of situation, “you cannot communicate early and often enough."
"Communicating whatever is known, and being clear about what's not known, has been effective in terms of engaging trust and letting people know that you're concerned about them, that you want to be providing information, and you intend to provide information. Communication has been key," Sherman added.
Sherman further explained that employers need to be proactive regarding the pandemic's lasting effects on employees.
She noted that the pandemic brought to light "issues that we've known have existed," including those around childcare, caring for elder family members, the social determinants of health, and mental health issues.
"Employers have tried to provide more support to employees in all of those areas [through] perhaps new digital solutions, and additional benefits that they may now be offering,” Sherman said. “COVID has shined a light on some of those issues that certainly pre-existed but have been exacerbated during the pandemic."
Moving forward, Sherman noted that organizations and employers of all types need to think about how to make the overall experience the most effective that it can be.
The study by RAND Corporation found that study participants who received low-value services decreased less than 3% between 2014 and 2018.
The number of Medicare patients who received low-value care only dropped 2.6% between 2014 and 2018, according to a RAND Corporation study published by JAMA Network Open Tuesday morning.
In 2014, 36.3% of study participants received low-value care, while 33.6% received low-value care in 2018. This slight decrease comes even after payment revisions and the launch of Choosing Wisely, a national campaign to educate clinicians which discourages low-value care.
Low-value care, which RAND defines as "patient services that offer no net clinical benefit in specific scenarios," makes up an estimated 10% to 20% of overall healthcare spending. This can include prescribing treatment options that patients don't necessarily need, such as inappropriately prescribing antibiotics.
According to the study, two-thirds of low-value care consists of opioids being prescribed for acute pain, preoperative laboratory testing, and prescribing antibiotics for infections.
"Our study highlights several promising opportunities for targeted interventions that may reduce wasteful health care spending while improving the quality of care," John N. Mafi, the study’s lead author and an adjunct physician policy researcher at RAND, said in the press release.
Low-value care is not only expensive for payers and patients as it consists of wasteful spending, according to the study authors, it can also create harmful outcomes for patients.
Additionally, the study found that annual spending per 1,000 Medicare patients receiving low-value care decreased from $52,766 in 2014 to $46,922 in 2018.
"Given mushrooming deficits and the fact that the Medicare trust fund is running out of cash, there will be enormous pressure to find ways to trim spending in the Medicare program and making significant progress in reducing low value care needs to be a top priority," Mafi said in the press release.
The study authors suggest that policy makers should focus on low-value care education for both physicians and patients, as well as payment reforms. Increased use of technology can also help physicians to decrease low-value medical care.
Baptist Health Care CEO Mark Faulkner shares the strategy behind building the organization’s new health campus and how he hopes it will help "promote wellness and impact social determinants of health in a proactive way" for the community.
Baptist Health Care, which serves both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in the Florida Panhandle, is hoping its new health campus, along with a comprehensive strategic plan, will help make the populations it serves healthier and curb access disparities.
Baptist operates three hospitals, four medical parks, and numerous specialty clinics servicing communities with elevated health risks in northwest Florida and south Alabama.
According to the latest community health needs assessment for Escambia and Santa Rosa, heart disease, diabetes, and lung cancer were listed among the top health concerns for residents.
In 2016, 7% of people in Santa Rosa and 3.8% of people in Escambia were told they have heart disease, versus 4.7% for the entire state of Florida.
In 2016, 13.7% of Santa Rosa residents and 16.4% of Escambia residents were told they had diabetes, versus the statewide average of 11.8%.
From 2015-2017, 44.9 residents per 100,000 in Santa Rosa and 52.8 residents per 100,000 in Escambia were diagnosed with lung cancer, versus 38.6 residents per 100,000 for the entire state.
Mark Faulkner, president and CEO of Baptist, spoke with HealthLeaders about the strategy behind building a new $615 million campus and how he thinks it will "promote wellness and impact social determinants of health in a proactive way" for the community.
This transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.
HealthLeaders: What was the strategy behind the decision to build a new health campus?
Faulkner: [Our board of directors and senior management team] recognized that the needs of our community evolved to a point where it was difficult to meet those demands on our current main campus.
[We investigated if we] could do some sort of significant renovation and expansion here on our [current] campus. We concluded that would be an unwise use of resources for our community and that a better strategy would be to simply replace the campus. We went down the pathway of replacing the campus on our existing land, but unfortunately, that was a dead end as well because we don't have [enough] land.
We're embedded in a dense residential part of our community, we're surrounded by homes, and we are landlocked.
We then began exploring how we could remain accessible to the entire community, and in fact, improve accessibility. We went down the strategy of a full replacement and pursued the acquisition of property in a much more accessible and visible location, which we were successful in doing. We think is a win-win all around, in terms of economics and stewardship of limited resources in our community.
HL: When is the new campus slated to open?
Faulkner: We expect to open in the fall of 2023, after approximately three years of construction.
I do think that people might read [this] article and say, 'Who's building a new hospital these days?' There is a uniqueness in our market and our community that led us to this conclusion.
When we were looking at the location of where we were going to build this replacement campus, we engaged an economic development firm. They looked at demographics, rooftops, retail, traffic patterns, and growth areas. They concluded that we moving our campus about 10 miles north of where all the growth is would be the best economic decision.
But this is not just an economic decision, this is a community decision. So, instead, we concluded that we needed to stay close to our current location to meet the needs of our immediate community, while becoming more accessible to the broader community. It was admirable that our senior team and our board drew the conclusion that instead of moving 10 miles north we're moving less than two-and-a-half miles [from the previous campus.]
HL: Can you walk me through the services that the campus is going to offer?
Faulkner: Our goal was to replicate and enhance what we already have in terms of service delivery. [This includes] enhancing our critical care capabilities, efficiencies, nursing units, and capabilities in our ancillary areas like the catherization lab, and imaging pathology, our therapy areas.
We don't anticipate, at least initially, needing to build for additional volume. There won't be any new clinical offerings because we already are a robust campus today. The medical office building will include physician offices, ancillary services, meeting space, and community space.
We are designing this as a health campus not a hospital, and we not only want to have the capability of healing the sick and repairing the injured, but to also promote wellness and impact social determinants of health in a proactive way.
Healthcare is part of community infrastructure, no different than all the other factors that go into community. It's critical for quality of life, economic development, and elevating outcomes. If [healthcare is] set apart and hard to access, then we have fallen short of that goal.
[The new campus] will have a lot of outdoor space and educational space. It will be a healing environment. We are designing this to be much sustainable than our current 70-year-old campus. It will pick up on elements of our community; the deep, rich history of Pensacola, the sugar white beaches, the closeness to nature that we enjoy here. It will look and feel a lot like the elements of our community in a healing in a positive way.
HL:What are you most excited about with this expansion?
Faulkner: My excitement, first and foremost, is for the community. We have great healthcare in a community for our size, but I know what this is going to be for the advancement of health, not just caring for the sick and injured, but also the advancement of wellness and preventative services.
I know this is going to move the needle with health outcomes in our community. Our community doesn't have good overall healthcare outcomes when it comes to national preparedness. We're not a healthy community; this is going to improve that.
We have seen a lot of economic revitalization in our community and with the location that we have selected and are now under construction, this campus will serve as the new front door to our community.
Finally, I know what this means for our employees, team members, physicians, and caregivers. We strive for excellence, it's one of our values, and how we interact with our patients and families, and how we provide care and quality and outcomes. We seek excellence in everything we do. But we have a workforce that comes to work every day in a building that's mediocre at best.
My excitement is for them. That our facilities and our surroundings will finally match our values and our desire to deliver on that promise. And so, I know there's so much excitement among the workforce about how this is going to [enable] their ability to deliver on our mission.
HL: Speaking of the workforce, how have the physicians and medical staff been involved in this project?
Faulkner: We have been engaged in discussions with the specialties that provide care in the hospitals, [including physicians, nurses, caregivers, and other team members.] They have worked with our designers and architects to provide input on layout, schematics, workflow, and all the other elements that go into their daily routines. To this day they are still having opportunities for input, so that the end-product is designed to be efficient, and effective, and meet [their] needs.
HL: Once the new campus is open, what will happen with the old campus?
Faulkner: We have approximately 50 acres on our current campus, and currently it houses administrative functions as well as our clinical services.
Our commitment originally to the community was leave every job we can on our existing campus. Interestingly, two things happened since we made that commitment.
The community came back and said, 'Can we look at reimagining the entire 50 acres for perhaps, including retail, community space, housing, and other purposes?’ So, we have engaged a community advisory council who has been helping us sort through those decisions.
The second thing that happened was the pandemic. We learned that the administrative jobs that are housed on this campus can now perhaps be done elsewhere, including in the home.
We might partner and offer some sort of urgent care services or primary care, but the question about our admin space and functions is still up in the air. We've got time to make that decision, but we are working towards sorting through the options and talking to the community throughout the process.
Through contributions to The Advanced Leadership Institute, Highmark Health hopes to build a pipeline for African American's to join executive leadership.
Pennsylvania-based healthcare organization Highmark Health announced Tuesday a $1.5 million commitment to The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI Institute) to increase diverse executive leadership in its community and nationally.
The Advanced Leadership Initiative is forming the TALI Institute as a non-profit organization focused on creating a pipeline of African American executive leadership in Pittsburgh and across the country. The Advanced Leadership Initiative was founded in 2018 by sponsors and contributors in the Pittsburgh area, including Highmark.
"We will be persistent in our objectives to increase inclusion and representation across our organization and within the communities we serve," Daniel Onorato, executive vice president of corporate affairs at Highmark, said in the press release. "Our continued support of TALI, and now the TALI Institute, is a natural next-step and will remain an important piece of our strategic DEI framework."
Highmark Health's commitment includes a one-time contribution of $1 million, and an annual $100,000 contribution for five years to support TALI Institute's efforts.
"I am so grateful to Highmark Health for this incredible leadership commitment to The Advanced Leadership Institute," said Evan Frazier, senior vice president of community affairs at Highmark said in the press release. "Not only have they provided to TALI sponsorship resources over the years, but from the very beginning, they supported me in this unique endeavor to advance leadership diversity for African Americans in our region. Their investments in me and in the community have truly made a difference."
Since 2018, The Advanced Leadership Initiative has grown its community to include almost 80 African American executives and mid-level managers. In addition to its contribution, Highmark also announced Tuesday that Frazier will join TALI Institute as president and CEO, effective March 8.
The announcement comes less than a month after Highmark Health announced the appointment of Robert James, JC, MBA, MHA as the organization's new chief diversity and inclusion officer.
In December of last year, Allegheny Health Network, a Highmark subsidiary, appointed Veronica Villalobos, J.D. as vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion, a new role for the company.
Shane Strum, who has served as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' chief of staff, is slated to lead the health system beginning in March, pending agreement of terms.
Broward Health announced Monday that the North Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners voted to name Shane Strum as the health system’s next president and CEO.
Strum, who has served as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' chief of staff, was unanimously voted by the board to head the Fort Lauderdale-based health system, replacing Gino Santorio following his resignation in November 2020.
Santorio served as Broward Health's COO beginning in 2017 before being elevated to CEO in 2018, becoming the health system's fifth CEO in three years, following abrupt resignations and C-suite turmoil. He resigned late last year to join Mount Sinai Medical Center of Greater Miami as CEO.
Among the candidates who also interviewed for the role were Dr. Michael Hochberg, president and chief medical officer for the Acclaim Physician Group, and Joseph Mullany, past president of Vassar Brothers Medical Center.
"The Board has been focused on finding a leader who can build upon the momentum Broward Health has gained in the past two years. We were pleased to interview such an exceptional group of candidates today," Nancy Gregoire, chair of the North Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners, said in a press release. "As we look to the future, we know the road ahead will require bold vision and the ability to form collaborative relationships with industry and community partners. We believe Mr. Strum can successfully lead our health system forward."
Strum has almost 30 years of experience in public service, healthcare, and higher education. Prior to working for the state government, Strum served as senior vice president of Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood, Florida.
He also served on the South Broward Hospital District Board, where he served as chairman for two terms. Additionally, Strum served as vice chancellor of Keiser University and director of corporate and government relations at Nova Southeastern University in Broward County, Florida.
Following negotiations and agreements of terms, the board will announce on February 24 if Strum will become president and CEO starting in March.
Martin J. Massiello, executive vice president and COO of the nonprofit health system based in Rancho Mirage, California, will serve as president and CEO effective March 1.
Retiring CEO G. Aubrey Serfling, who led the organization for 20 years, will serve on the health system's board of governors to focus on fundraising and community relations.
Massiello joined Eisenhower as COO in 2008 and has also served as executive vice president and COO of Eisenhower Medical Associates, a physician network in southern California.
According to a company press release, over his time with Eisenhower Health, Massiello has worked closed with Serfling on initiatives for the hospital and ambulatory clinic division, and was instrumental in “the development and ongoing expansion of Eisenhower's Graduate Medical Education programs, establishing residencies in internal medicine, family medicine, and emergency medicine, as well as multiple fellowship programs."
"Marty Massiello has demonstrated extraordinary leadership during his 13-year tenure as COO at Eisenhower Health," Michael Shannon, Eisenhower Health chairman of the board, said in the press release. "His more than 30 years of experience in health care and extensive knowledge of the clinical services of Eisenhower Health make him singularly suited to carrying forward the strategic initiatives that will ensure Eisenhower's continued commitment to providing exceptional health care to patients in the Coachella Valley. His well-established relationships with physicians and staff will ensure a smooth transition that encourages a continued focus on quality of care and clinical excellence."
Prior to serving at Eisenhower Health, Massiello served as executive vice president and COO of Chicago-based Loyola University Health System. He has experience in pharmacy services, clinical leadership roles, and administrative leadership roles.
Before his tenure at Loyola, he served as St. Francis Hospital of Evanston's administrative director of ancillary and distributive service as well as Loyola University Medical Center vice president of health care services.
The Catholic Health Association of the United States along with 23 Catholic provider organizations have signed a pledge to take steps to "achieve health equity."
In a push to address racism in healthcare, the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) along with nearly two dozen Catholic hospitals and health systems announced Thursday afternoon that they have signed a pledge to confront systemic racism and achieve health equity.
Enacting change across health systems through hiring practices and ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion among the workforce
Advocating for "improved health outcomes" in diverse and minority communities
Strengthening trust with minority communities
According to the press release, the CHA board of trustees developed the pledge and asked CHA members to “join in solidarity to promote the common good and seek justice by being actively anti-racist and accountable in effecting positive change in the communities we serve."
The healthcare leaders detailed what the announcement will mean for minority communities across the country and outlined the steps their respective organizations have taken to fight against racism and help promote health equity.
"Each of the 23 organizations that have signed the pledge confronting racism by achieving health equity are committed to working collectively to find solutions for this public health crisis,” Haddad said during the briefing. “We are called and committed to addressing the systemic causes of health disparities among underserved and vulnerable populations."
Making measurable, demonstratable systematic changes
The pledge announcement came less than two months after CommonSpirit unveiled a 10-year, $100 million partnership with Morehouse School, a historically Black medical school, to support the training of Black doctors.
"All together we believe that everyone has the right to be healthy and that systemic racism is a threat to that. That, in and of itself, impacts our ability to improve the health of the communities that we serve," Dean said during the briefing.
He added: "Shame on us if we do not seize this moment, as a nation, and as a society, to make measurable, demonstrable and systemic changes. Many of the past efforts to address health equity at failed because they have been episodic. This is why we are all coming together as leaders in Catholic healthcare to pledge to address changes in a systemic way."
Dean mentioned that these changes include COVID-19 tests being made accessible and distributed equitably, as well as prioritizing vaccination for individuals and families at risk, including “elderly populations, communities of color, and certainly Native American, and other indigenous communities."
"Catholic healthcare providers are called to lead by example to take an active role in health equity both inside and outside our healthcare ministries," Sadau, CEO of CHRISTUS, said during the briefing.
CHRISTUS has focused on diversity in its boardroom and workforce, according to Sadau, noting that the health system's board of directors is now made up 45% ethnic minorities and 40% women.
"How we hire how we support, and how we train our associates is critical to our success. This year, we're even more focused on diversity and hiring. One of the measures on our balanced scorecard benchmarks is our work to mentor diverse associates who could be candidates for director and above positions," Sadau said.
"We have evidence that our work is changing things for our associates, for our patients, for our communities that we serve," he added. "We are proof that change is possible. Today, I invite others to join us on this journey and in our fierce commitment to racial justice, and health equity."
Advancing equitable care
"We're really honored to join in this milestone moment to renew our commitment to prioritize equity condemn all forms of racism, discrimination, and systemic injustice, and also to continue the work of fostering a trust among the patients, and communities that were blessed to serve," Duperval-Brownlee, the Ascension executive, said during the briefing.
According to Duperval-Brownlee, Ascension has actively taken a role in curbing health disparities by looking to remove socioeconomic barriers and ensure representation of the community in its healthcare team.
Additionally, she added that Ascension is focused on investing in “sustainable structures and resources” that lead to the advancement of care delivery in a way that is equitable and doesn’t compound existing disparities.
"If we are, and this is a collective 'we,' are at all serious about caring for all, especially those who are made vulnerable and marginalized, we need to continue to challenge ourselves, to be honest about where we are in the journey, and know that it's only on a platform of trust, honesty, transparency, that we can truly hear the people we serve and better serve them," Duperval-Brownlee said.
The COO of hospital and primary care services at Winona Health details her 30-year career with the Minnesota-based health system, rising from registered staff nurse to the C-suite.
Robin Hoeg, RN, MSHA has spent her entire 32-and-a-half-year healthcare career at Winona Health, a non-profit health system that operates the only hospital in Winona County, Minnesota. Currently, she serves as the COO of hospital and primary care services.
"I have been very fortunate to have been here my entire career in multiple different roles and responsibilities. It's been wonderful," Hoeg said about her experience.
Since 1988, Hoeg has worked for Winona in several capacities, including as a registered staff nurse on the surgical floor, a registered nurse in home care, the director of home care and hospice, and the director of inpatient services.
In 2009, she joined the health system’s senior leadership team as the service line leader of inpatient services and additionally served as the administrator of Winona's long-term care residence adjacent to the hospital. In 2014, overseeing senior services was also added to her role, and last year, she gained oversight of the primary care clinics.
Be bold and be humble
Hoeg said her love of science married with her desire to make connections "with good will" inspired her to join healthcare as a nurse.
"I truly love supporting and taking care of people, even though it's not hands-on any longer, and assuring that people are well attended to," Hoeg said. "Nursing was just a good fit for me."
In 1988, Hoeg graduated from Winona State with a Bachelor of Science in nursing. In 2005, Hoeg earned a Master's in Health Care Administration from Bellevue University. In 2011, she received licensure in Nursing Home Administration from the University of Minnesota.
Hoeg listed her parents and Winona CEO Rachelle Schultz, EdD among her most significant mentors.
“My dad is a graduate of the eighth grade, that was all he had the opportunity to receive in school. He is a self-employed business owner, and so he has been a mentor," Hoeg said. "My dad has persevered over many obstacles. He personally is a mentor for me, and so is my mom."
"Professionally, there have been a few senior leaders who took a chance on me, but Rachelle would certainly be the biggest and most supportive mentor that I've ever had," Hoeg said. "Rachelle trusts her team. If mistakes are made, she helps you work through those, [and] expects you to learn from those, which I appreciate."
Hoeg added that Schultz is not a “micromanager” and allows her leaders to take some risks, a trait that instills responsibility and reliability in others.
“That is how I want to lead people; trusting them to do the right thing, supporting them when mistakes do happen, and helping them learn so the same mistakes don't occur over [again.] Rachelle has certainly been a support through [my career]," Hoeg said. "She has entrusted me with a big chunk of this organization to lead and I'm so appreciative of that. I couldn't have done that if I hadn't grown up here at Winona Health."
The best advice Hoeg said she has received comes from her father and Schultz: be bold and be humble.
"Don't be afraid to get uncomfortable, don't be afraid to try something different, and don't be afraid to fail, because if you don't fail, you don't learn," Hoeg said. "Rachelle has drilled that into our heads here, to not be afraid to try something different. And be as confident as you can without being arrogant, that's where 'be humble' is important in all of that.
Leading with consistency and a focus on patients
Hoeg said she strives for her leadership style to be "fair and consistent."
"They need to know that the same Robbie, every day, shows up to work, and they can rely on that consistency that I strive for each and every day."
She noted that she makes sure to be consistent with workers across the board, specifically physicians, associate providers, housekeepers, frontline nurses.
Hoeg's background in nursing has influenced her leadership style as well, as she mentioned that she wants to be patient-focused in her decision-making as a COO.
"If you keep the patient in all your decisions at the forefront, you can't make a mistake,
she said. "If you know what patients want and need, the decisions that need to be made for their care is easy to come by. Being patient-focused is a huge part of my role as COO and that's the part I like the most."
Hoeg said she draws from her experience as an RN "almost daily" and sometimes doesn't realize that she does.
"A lot of it is remembering when I was that staff nurse, and the importance of that putting myself in the shoes of those who are taking care of others. It keeps me humble, and at the same time, lets me be bold," she said. "When you're patient-focused, you can get back to those roots of providing intimate care for patients when they need you. It's what drives me and I rely on that experience more than I realized."
When it comes to her favorite thing about being a leader, Hoeg said she likes giving opportunities, just as Schultz had given to her.
"The part I like best about [leading] is being able to coach and mentor others. Giving them the opportunities to try something new, and being interested to do that, is important to me," she said. "Someone took a chance on me, so I of course want to take a chance on other people as well, and that has been the most satisfying. Watching other nurses, respiratory therapists, and our CNAs that are going through the nursing programs and [getting to] coach and mentor them as they grow and expand their career, that's the best part about being a senior leader."
Advice for emerging C-suite leaders
Like Nike’s famed slogan, Hoeg's advice for leaders who want to make the jump into the C-suite is to "just do it."
"Get the education, get the credentials, take those courses, and just try," Hoeg said.
Giving and getting support is also important for emerging leaders as well as those already established in the C-suite.
"I want to be able to give someone those opportunities, whether it's their first leadership position as maybe a charge nurse, or a director of a department, or mentoring and coaching a new person to the C-suite," Hoeg said.
"Jump in and give it a shot, because with the support that we give each other, most people will succeed," she added.
Editor's note: This story was updated on February 4.