Welcome back to Part 3 of our Emotional Onboarding series on The Healthcare Plus Podcast. On this episode, Dan Collard is joined by special guest Natasha Lee to explore what Emotional Onboarding looks like in a virtual-first organization and see the impact it’s made on the culture of Floyd Lee Locums. Natasha Lee serves as CEO of Floyd Lee Locums, whose primary focus is to revolutionize the healthcare staffing industry by connecting clinicians to purposeful work.

Natasha and Dan discuss Floyd Lee Locums’ innovative onboarding and leadership development programs, designed to support a strong corporate culture that prioritizes trust, engagement, and personal well-being.

Natasha shares key insights and solutions for healthcare executives, including:

• The importance of being involved in selection, hiring, and onboarding at the C-suite level to convey clear expectations, maintain high standards, and enhance your company culture.
• How getting to know employees on a personal level ensures understanding that they are cared for even beyond the work they do for your organization.
• Why Floyd Lee is focused on continuous improvement, despite recognition as #1 on Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work list for two consecutive years.

Tune in next time for the final episode of the Emotional Onboarding series or listen back for more ideas from Katherine Meese and Patti Frank today.

About Natasha Lee

As CEO, Natasha Lee passionately upholds the core values of Floyd Lee Locums, whose primary focus is to revolutionize the healthcare staffing industry by connecting clinicians to purposeful work. A staffing industry veteran since 2001, she has extensive experience starting and growing new businesses, penetrating new markets, and recognizing and developing talent. Her authentic commitment to the industry informs the organization’s key promise of serving those who serve others.

Natasha is passionate about creating a company culture where all employees, partners, and clients feel valued and heard. Her impact and that commitment extends to our organization’s DEI&B efforts, corporate volunteerism program (We Serve), and our internal employee benefits program (We Sustain).

Welcome back to Part 2 of our Emotional Onboarding Series on The Healthcare Plus Podcast with your host Dan Collard. Today, Dan is joined by Patti Frank, Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer of CCM Health, a community hospital in Montevideo, Minnesota.

Patti discusses her journey since joining CCM Health in 2018, highlighting the challenges they faced with high turnover, a reliance on travel nurses, and instability in senior leadership, which prompted a new focus on staff engagement and leadership development. Under Patti’s leadership, CCM Health first debuted on Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work list at #66 and this year, they reached #9.

Patti and Dan discuss the intentional efforts CCM has made in Emotional Onboarding that have increased first-year retention by 15% and have contributed to their award-winning culture. A key initiative is helping new employees understand the phases of change and recognize that anxiety and doubt are normal with a new position or new organization. By creating this open dialogue, CCM has been able to provide resources and solutions to help team members navigate that anxiety and move more quickly towards feeling a sense of belonging in the organization.

Patti also serves as an advisor at Healthcare Plus Solutions Group. Through this lens, she offers practical and doable tips for leaders to improve their onboarding processes and drive improved retention and engagement.

Tune in next time for another episode of the Emotional Onboarding series that will dive into the post-acute care industry or listen back for more ideas from Katherine Meese today.

About Patti Frank
Patricia Frank, RN, MSN, FACHE is a distinguished healthcare executive and Advisor with Healthcare Plus Solutions Group, celebrated for her contributions to rural healthcare and her expertise in operational management, strategic planning, and patient care optimization. Recognized in 2020 among Becker’s Hospital Review’s “50+ Hospital and Health Systems CNOs to Know,” Patricia has a longstanding commitment to transforming healthcare in rural communities, where she has consistently improved patient outcomes, enhanced staff engagement, and elevated service delivery.

Patricia’s background includes extensive experience in clinical oversight, conflict resolution, and process improvement within rural settings, where she has reshaped organizational culture and built high-performing teams. Known for her integrity and strategic vision, Patricia has been honored with multiple “Best Place to Work” awards from different organizations by Modern Healthcare magazine, reflecting her dedication to making quality healthcare accessible in underserved regions. As an advisor, she now partners with healthcare organizations across the country to develop leadership capacity and optimize performance, all with a deep commitment to strengthening rural healthcare.

Welcome to Part 1 of our Emotional Onboarding series on The Healthcare Plus Podcast. Hosted by Dan Collard, we’re kicking off this 5-part series with special guest Dr. Katherine Meese, a researcher and expert in the space of organizational behavior and leadership.

Dan and Katherine’s conversation explores several key facets of Emotional Onboarding™, a solution that improves early retention by reducing new hire anxiety and accelerating their feeling that they belong and are part of a team.

Dr. Meese shares the latest research and industry insights on key areas of focus, including:

• The importance of building trust in the first 30-90 days and demonstrating flexibility and understanding through the hiring process
• Myth-busting what “belonging” really means and strategies for developing high-performing teams
• The significance of co-worker relationships in early onboarding and retention and how to best include peers in the interview and hiring process
• Challenges facing the multi-generational workforce and lessons learned from other industries

Stay tuned over the next month as Dan Collard explores what Emotional Onboarding looks like in practice with leaders from four organizations across the continuum of healthcare.

About Dr. Katherine Meese

With fifteen years of experience in healthcare management, leadership and research, Dr. Meese is an award-winning scholar and author in the field of organizational behavior, well-being, and leadership. She is the Founder and CEO of HuMargin Group which takes a data-driven, scientific  approach to help organizations solve their complex human challenges. Dr. Meese has published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and has served as an evaluator on multi-million dollar grants.  She has co-authored two textbooks on organizational behavior in healthcare that are used in over 160 schools across the country. Her most recent book is The Human Margin: Building the Foundations of Trust with Quint Studer.

Dr. Meese also teaches and mentors graduate, doctoral and executive students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Health Services Administration, home to the #1 ranked MSHA program (U.S. News and World Report).

She is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, delivering over 100 presentations, workshops and keynotes across the globe. Her passion is to translate data and research into meaningful knowledge to help leaders and organizations support their humans.

Dr. Meese has a B.B.A from Texas A&M, an MPH from the University of Texas Health Science Center, and a PhD from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She lives in the Nashville, TN area with her husband and two children.

Welcome back to the Healthcare Plus Podcast! On this episode, Quint Studer is joined by special guest, David Bartholomew, to preview the upcoming American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) 2025 Congress on Healthcare Leadership.

This annual event will attract more than 7,000 healthcare leaders – from students in Master of Health Administration (MHA) programs to tenured executives – to Houston, TX this March for 3 days of learning and networking. With more than 500 expert speakers and 220+ education sessions, the ACHE Congress has something to offer every healthcare professional.

David highlights exciting keynote sessions from leading experts, including:

• Brené Brown, PhD, Research Professor and New York Times Bestselling Author
• Ozan Varol, JD, Rocket Scientist turned Professor, No. 1 Bestselling Author, and Expert on Innovation and Creativity
• Doris Kearns Goodwin, PhD, Presidential Historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning Author
• Michael Sorrell, EdD, Visionary Leader, Institutional Change Agent, President of Paul Quinn College
• And many more!

Quint also shares his excitement to join Mark Clement, CEO, TriHealth onstage for their session, “Leadership Insights: Building a Culture That Drives and Supports Value-Based Care”.

Learn more about ACHE 2025 Congress and register today at www.congress.ache.org.

About David Bartholomew

David Bartholomew is a lifelong advocate for health professionals and international education.  David is the Senior Vice President, Learning at the American College of Healthcare Executives in Chicago.  The role encompasses oversight of ACHE’s Professional Development and Publishing activities, including the Congress on Healthcare Leadership.

David Bartholomew assumed the role of Senior Vice President of Learning with the American College of Healthcare Executives in January 2019.  In this capacity David is tasked to drive the strategic direction for ACHE Learning and oversee the design and development of new learning modalities for ACHE including virtual, face-to-face, and hybrid learning approaches across the Learning portfolio.  Prior to ACHE, David worked for more than 20 years in strategic roles related to healthcare licensure education and publishing.

David holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a master’s degree in International Affairs from the University of Kentucky Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce.   David serves as a Board member for CAHME, the Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education.

On this episode of The Healthcare Plus Podcast, Quint Studer is joined by Dr. Stephanie Montgomery, Partner, Build a Brain, Build a Life, Build A Community, Dr. Alexander Gumiroff, Chief Medical Officer, HCA Florida Palms West Hospital, and Jason Kimbrell, CEO, HCA Florida Palms West Hospital.

Their conversation highlights the transformative “Build a Brain, Build a Life, Build a Community” initiative, which aims to enhance early childhood brain development, and showcases the implementation of the program at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital.

Quint shares about the initial research conducted in Escambia County that led to the founding of the program and the difference it has made for parents, children, and communities across the country.

Dr. Gumiroff and Jason Kimbrell also examine the program’s broader implications for addressing health inequities and encouraging community engagement through activities like book donations and the education of childcare workers. They underscore the importance of ongoing leadership and authentic community involvement in sustaining this initiative, ultimately aiming to improve future health outcomes and kindergarten readiness

About Alexander Gumiroff, MD, MBA, MHA, FACOG

Dr. Alex Gumiroff has been appointed Chief Medical Officer of HCA Florida Palms West Hospital, effective May 15, 2023.

After finishing his residency training at New York Presbyterian/Cornell University Lower Manhattan Hospital, Dr. Gumiroff relocated to Florida and has been a practicing OB-GYN for a Federally Qualified Health Center in Fort Myers, caring for the underserved population.

During that time, he also supervised the training of Medical, Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioner students in both outpatient and inpatient settings.

About Jason Kimbrell

Jason Kimbrell was appointed chief executive officer of HCA Florida Palms West Hospital in June of 2021.

Prior to Palms West, Kimbrell was the chief executive officer for Highlands Hospital and transitioned the newly acquired asset into the HCA healthcare portfolio. Kimbrell has been with HCA Healthcare since 2015. He is a graduate of HCA’s Executive Development Program and started his HCA career as the assistant administrator for HCA Florida West Hospital in Pensacola.

Kimbrell is a veteran of the United States Air Force and began his career in healthcare in the public safety sector, serving as a firefighter, critical care flight paramedic and EMS Chief.

About Stephanie Montgomery, Ed.D.

Stephanie is a native Georgian with over 24 years of experience in education and community partnerships. Stephanie has served Northwest Georgia as a School Improvement Specialist in literacy and academic achievement. She has worked as an ELA Specialist and liaison to help strengthen relationships between state and local school systems. Through this work, she has developed a unique lens for identifying issues related to readiness skills and achievement gaps. She is skilled at working with teams to bridge the gap between knowledge and research, helping put policy into practice. Stephanie has also served as a classroom teacher, district-level curriculum coordinator, and grant writer.

On this episode of The Healthcare Plus Podcast, Quint Studer welcomes Dr. Thom Mayer to discuss insights from his extensive career in emergency medicine and leadership, including his work with the NFL Players Union and in crisis situations on 9/11 and during war in Ukraine.

In their conversation, Dr. Mayer discusses his new book, “Leadership is Worthless, but Leading is Priceless,” emphasizing the distinction between leadership as a noun and the act of leading as a verb. He challenges each individual to realize that they are a leader today no matter the role they serve in and to always ask the question, “How will I lead today?”. Dr. Mayer also highlights the importance of relationship-building, storytelling, and a curiosity-driven approach to innovation in healthcare. He says “there’s no solo practice of medicine anywhere. It’s a team sport.”

Their conversation also explores the idea of clinical trials as a way for organizations to reconsider practices and processes and drive continuous improvement. On the topic of improving patient experience, Dr. Mayer discusses his recent article, “Criterion-Based Measurements of Patient Experience in Health Care: Eliminating Winners and Losers to Create a New Moral Ethos,” published by JAMA.

Dr. Mayer and Quint inspire leaders to use failures as steppingstones on their mission to foster cultures of trust and gratitude. Plus, they offer actionable tips and resources to help you do so.

About Dr. Thom Mayer

Dr. Thom Mayer is the Medical Director for the NFL Players Association, Executive Vice President of Leadership for LogixHealth, Founder of BestPractices, Inc., Speaker for Executive Speakers Bureau, and Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at George Washington University and Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke University.

He is one of the most widely sought speakers on leading in times of crisis, leading innovative change, customer experience, hardwiring flow, trauma and emergency care, pediatric emergency care, EMS/disaster medicine, and sports medicine. In sports medicine, his work at the forefront of changing concussion diagnosis and management in the NFL has changed the way in which these athletes are diagnosed and treated. His work in each of these areas has resulted in changing the very fabric of patient care.

In 2022, Dr. Mayer helped lead a mobile team to Ukraine, caring for more than 350 internally displaced persons during the current war and training over 1,700 Ukrainian doctors, nurses, and paramedics. On September 11, 2001, Dr. Mayer served as the Command Physician at the Pentagon Rescue Operation and has served on three Defense Science Board Task Forces, advising the Secretary of Defense.

He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, over 200 book chapters, and has edited or written 25 textbooks. His newest book, Leadership Is Worthless…But Leading is Priceless will be released on May 7, 2024 through Berrett-Koehler. He was won numerous awards, including the ACEP James D. Mills Outstanding Contribution to Emergency Medicine Award in 2018. He has also been named the ACEP Outstanding Speaker of The Year, ACHE James Hamilton Award (twice), and has been nominated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

On this two-part episode series of The Healthcare Plus Podcast, Quint Studer hosts Dr. Gerald Hickson, Joseph C. Ross Chair of Medical Education and Administration, Professor of Pediatrics, Founding Director of the Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy (CPPA).

Quint and Dr. Hickson’s conversation focuses on addressing professional behavior among healthcare providers. Dr. Hickson discusses research linking disrespectful behavior to poor patient outcomes and malpractice claims, emphasizing the importance of professionalism in the workplace. The conversation also extends to nursing, offering innovative leadership strategies for behavioral intervention.

In Part 1, Dr. Hickson discusses the early career experiences that led him to explore professionalism and what he learned about the importance of respect in the practice of medicine. The conversation explores Vanderbilt’s latest research on the topic and shares how health system leaders can start pursuing a culture of safety and respect.

In Part 2, Quint and Dr. Hickson discuss intervention techniques for both physicians and nurses, highlighting “cup of coffee” conversations as a way to make medicine kinder, safer, and more reliable.

About Gerald B. Hickson, MD

Gerald B. Hickson, MD, Joseph C. Ross Chair of Medical Education and Administration, Professor of Pediatrics, Founding Director of the Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy (CPPA).

Dr. Hickson serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). He also serves on the Board of Directors of Keck (USC) Health System, the RL Datix Customer Advisory Board and is a member of the International Regulatory Expert Advisory Group to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Dr. Hickson previously served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF). Dr. Hickson received a BS from the University of Georgia and MD from Tulane University School of Medicine.

On this two-part episode series of The Healthcare Plus Podcast, Quint Studer hosts Dr. Gerald Hickson, Joseph C. Ross Chair of Medical Education and Administration, Professor of Pediatrics, Founding Director of the Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy (CPPA).

Quint and Dr. Hickson’s conversation focuses on addressing professional behavior among healthcare providers. Dr. Hickson discusses research linking disrespectful behavior to poor patient outcomes and malpractice claims, emphasizing the importance of professionalism in the workplace. The conversation also extends to nursing, offering innovative leadership strategies for behavioral intervention.

In Part 1, Dr. Hickson discusses the early career experiences that led him to explore professionalism and what he learned about the importance of respect in the practice of medicine. The conversation explores Vanderbilt’s latest research on the topic and shares how health system leaders can start pursuing a culture of safety and respect.

In Part 2, Quint and Dr. Hickson discuss intervention techniques for both physicians and nurses, highlighting “cup of coffee” conversations as a way to make medicine kinder, safer, and more reliable.

About Gerald B. Hickson, MD

Gerald B. Hickson, MD, Joseph C. Ross Chair of Medical Education and Administration, Professor of Pediatrics, Founding Director of the Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy (CPPA).

Dr. Hickson serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). He also serves on the Board of Directors of Keck (USC) Health System, the RL Datix Customer Advisory Board and is a member of the International Regulatory Expert Advisory Group to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Dr. Hickson previously served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF). Dr. Hickson received a BS from the University of Georgia and MD from Tulane University School of Medicine.

On this episode of The Healthcare Plus Podcast, Dan Collard is joined by Carla Yost and Dannette Staples from Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma to discuss the work they’re doing in development with a specific focus on charge nurses and their Nurse Practice Council. Carla is the Chief Nursing Officer at Hillcrest.  With 15 years of senior leadership experience, she is passionate about developing leaders and giving them a voice. Dannette is the Director of Nursing for Workforce Development and Performance Improvement. She has over 24 years of healthcare experience and shares Carla’s passion for frontline leadership development.

Carla discusses how she recognized that leaders were seeking development opportunities within the organization and why she proposed Precision Leadership Development™ as the solution through the Nurse Practice Council.

Then, Dannette shares her experience leading the orthopedics unit during challenging times, including the staff shortages experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. When she decided to invest in her charge nurses by mentoring them individually and involving them in the decision-making process, she began to see extraordinary results.

Through this investment in leadership development, Dannette’s unit has seen:

• Engagement scores increase from 77% in 2021 to 92% in 2023
• Turnover reduced from 27% to 4% on the orthopedic unit
• Net Promoter Scores improved from 39% to 75%
• Length of stay reduced from 1.62 to 1.29
• Falls rates reduced from 4.33 to 2.79

Dannette and Carla attribute all of these results to their focus on the mid-level, “boots-on-the-ground”, frontline leaders and emphasize the need for investment and development to drive positive change in healthcare organizations.

About Carla Yost

Among Becker’s 66 CNOs to know in 2022, Carla Yost, BSN, FACHE, CPHQ, is the Chief Nursing Officer of Hillcrest Medical Center, Ardent Health System. Here, she leads the nursing and patient care operations for the 656-bed facility, successfully fostering achievements like most recently, a top-ranking hospital in patient safety, awarded by the organization, Leapfrog. She also advocates for nurses, investing in their growth, and increasing staff retention.

Carla brings with her more than 15 years of knowledge and experience in senior executive leadership. Her previous roles include System Chief Nursing and Quality Officer for Ascension Kansas, Vice President of Nursing and Quality at HCA Healthcare in Overland Park, Kansas, and a Baldridge Examiner for the U.S. Department of Commerce. In 2018, Carla was named a Health Care Hero by the Wichita Business Journal.

About Dannette Staples

Dannette Staples is a multidimensional nursing leader with more than 24 years of experience and a proven record of accomplishments built by the foundation of relationships that produce results that improve quality, efficiency, and growth. She is a dedicated nurse leader with a passion to mentor and develop new nurses by empowering and educating driven team members to become effective leaders.

She has worked in various organizations across the country, starting with Vanderbilt University, HCA, Ardent, and Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria Oregon. She has worked in a variety of healthcare organizations ranging from large tertiary facilities to small outlying facilities, all of which have impacted her growth as a leader in healthcare. She has also created and facilitated customer service training and coached improvement skills to enhance teammate development and performance.

On this episode of the Healthcare Plus Podcast, Quint Studer welcomes special guest Leonard Friedman, Ph.D., a Professor of Health Policy and Management and the director of the Executive Master of Health Administration degree at the George Washington University. Their discussion focuses on the evolving landscape of healthcare leadership, emphasizing the need for emotional and social intelligence in navigating complex systems.

Leonard highlights key insights from his article, “Developing Leadership Competencies for an Uncertain Future,” (published by the American College of Healthcare Executives) revealing that nearly half of healthcare leaders are relatively new to their roles. The conversation explores crucial leadership skills such as change management, self-awareness, and adaptability to complexity, underscoring the importance of fostering a culture of innovation and developing a workforce capable of navigating today’s and tomorrow’s changing environment.

Quint and Leonard highlight the need for healthcare leaders to embrace open-mindedness, introspection, and collaborative approaches to break down departmental silos and improve patient outcomes.

About Leonard H. Friedman, Ph.D., M.P.H., FACHE

Leonard Friedman is a Professor of Health Policy and Management and is director of the Executive Master of Health Administration degree at the George Washington University.  He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Southern California, School of Public Administration in 1991 where his dissertation examined technology acquisition in hospitals in Southern California.  Dr. Friedman’s scholarly work has concentrated on the mechanisms of organizational change and strategic decision-making in health service organizations. Dr. Friedman has been the chair of the Health Care Management Division of the Academy of Management and Association of University Programs in Health Administration. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a past-president of the National Capital Healthcare Executives Chapter of ACHE. In 2015, Dr. Friedman was inducted into the Studer Group Fire Starter Hall of Fame. Dr. Friedman is the editor of the Journal of Health Administration Education.