Since taking the helm in 2013, CEO Joseph Mullany, a 25-year healthcare veteran, has been instrumental in preparing Detroit Medical Center for strategic growth. His distinctive expertise in accountable care has positioned him to guide DMC through one of healthcare's most tumultuous and uncertain times, and he is optimistic about what is to come.
Mr. Mullany took the time to reflect on his career, name a few "bucket list" items, and explain the most important elements of making a hospital a first choice for patients and a great place to work.
Question: What are your thoughts as you reflect on your healthcare career so far?
Joseph Mullany: This is an exciting time to be engaged in healthcare. I'm grateful my nearly 30 years of experience led me to my current position as the CEO for the DMC. Our accomplishments 
as Detroit's largest employer and second-largest graduate medical education program in Michigan energize me. As a healthcare provider, we are not only seeing improvement in the tools and technology used to provide care, but also cutting edge research and innovative strategies in the way care is delivered. The changes yet to happen are going to impact healthcare for years to come.
Q: What do you still hope to witness or experience as a healthcare leader before you retire?
JM: Personal healthcare management for U.S. residents, and specifically those in Michigan, is being revolutionized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and by the methods providers use to interact with their patients. In considering what I'd most like to see before I retire, I'm eager to witness the population become healthier as more citizens become more informed and active participants in preventive care and chronic disease management.
At the DMC, we're actively engaged in this shift through several campaigns, including our Gateway to Health project. Funded by a $10 million grant from CMS, the project is intended move beyond emergency visits and meet patients where they are already seeking care to develop meaningful doctor-patient relationships, improve care coordination and implement strategies to promote wellness. This initiative will bring transformative changes to traditional healthcare practices and substantially improve the health of the community. I'm hopeful we'll see substantial changes with this new delivery process.
Q: As DMC's CEO, you are a leader and advocate for the people of Detroit. How does it feel to be at the center of such positive change occurring there?
JM: It's very exciting to be in the middle of the continued revitalization of the city of Detroit. As a leader in the healthcare industry, we're proud to build a healthy and vibrant city with unique service initiatives like Make Your Date, a community health initiative targeting Detroit mothers for healthy, full-term deliveries. Detroit's turnaround is a success many are watching. The revitalization is a result of the dedicated residents and supporters of Detroit and corporate citizens working together. Business leaders and major contributors to Detroit's economy are profitable and stirring job growth — a sign for even greater things to come. With more than $850 million in ongoing renovations and expansions to our campuses in Detroit, I'm proud to lead an organization contributing to this development.
Q: How would you describe DMC as a place to work?
JM: The DMC wants to help grow the healthcare economy in Detroit. I feel one of the most important first steps is to ensure your company has a culture that inspires and encourages innovation. At the DMC, we know that creating a welcoming culture is important for creating a great place to work, and we're committed to fostering that environment.
When I came to DMC, our human resource leaders helped me launch an employee engagement program, where a cross-section of our top talent was selected as ambassadors of change. As we continue to find new and innovative ways to engage our employees, a parallel focus remains on recruitment and retention of top talent. We've changed our recruitment process to better align our goals and process with future colleagues to ensure we bring on people who are empowered as well as qualified.
I'm looking forward to being a part of and witnessing not only our investment in our facilities, services and city, but also in our people, creating a culture I can look back on as one that is engaged, innovative and setting the bar high for DMC as a premier healthcare provider and place to work.