Christopher Newman, MD, MBA, is the senior vice president, chief operating officer and chief medical officer at Fredericksburg, Va.-based Mary Washington Healthcare.
Dr. Newman will serve on panels "How to Build a Data-Driven Culture and Deliver Value to Inundated Providers" and "The Evolving Role of the CMO" at Becker's 10th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable. As part of an ongoing series, Becker's is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference on Nov. 7-10 in Chicago.
To learn more and register, click here.
Becker's Healthcare aims to foster peer-to-peer conversation between healthcare's brightest leaders and thinkers. In that vein, responses to our Speaker Series are published straight from interviewees. Here is what our speakers had to say.
Question: What is the smartest thing you've done in the last year to set your system up for success?
Dr. Christopher Newman: During the pandemic, our health system decided to invest significantly in overhauling our care management processes and operations. This included the construction of a centralized hub/command center, investment in new IT to assist patient flow, and significant workflow changes for providers, case managers, ancillary staff, etc. These changes have resulted in a reduction of approximately 1600 excess inpatient days per month in the health system. This improvement has been vital to combat labor shortages and inflationary cost pressures we are currently facing.
Q: What are you most excited about right now and what makes you nervous?
CN: The healthcare industry has been significantly disrupted by the pandemic, leading to the current unprecedented workforce challenges and inflationary cost pressures. There is great uncertainty surrounding when or if things will begin to normalize and when healthcare delivery will return to sustainable positive financial performance. I am excited at the prospect of new technologies and innovations (automation, robotics, expanded telehealth, new care delivery models, artificial intelligence, etc.) which promise to reduce some of the unsustainable burdens on our caregivers.
Q: How are you thinking about growth and investments for the next year or two?
CN: The current financial pressures on our health system have caused us to be much more selective around capital investments. Some growth projects have subsequently had to be placed on hold. One investment we have continued to pursue is our launch of a large graduate medical education program. We are very excited to welcome our first medical residents next summer and begin training our region's next generation of physicians.
Q: What will healthcare executives need to be effective leaders for the next five years?
CN: Healthcare executives must continue to be comfortable with leading during uncertain times for the foreseeable future. Leaders will need to be creative problem solvers and flexible thinkers to inspire their teams to embrace change optimistically.