Jeanne Armentrout serves as Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Vice President at Carilion Clinic.
On May 24th, Jeanne will give a presentation on "Collaboration of the Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Medical Officer: Keys to Success in a Clinic Model" at Becker's Hospital Review 11th Annual Meeting. As part of an ongoing series, Becker's is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference, which will take place on May 24-26, 2021 in Chicago.
To learn more about the conference and Jeanne's session, click here.
Question: What's one lesson you learned early in your career that has helped you lead in healthcare?
Jeanne Armentrout: Leadership is a difficult yet rewarding role. And while anyone can be a leader, it’s definitely not for everyone. One must have character and strong values. You have to know yourself well, accept feedback as a gift, and surround yourself with talent. The best leaders develop others to be their best. My leadership approach is ensuring the success of everyone around me – my boss, my team, and my peers. When you help others be successful, you enjoy that success as well.
Q: Where do you go for inspiration and fresh ideas?
JA: I think it’s important to keep your sense of wonder and curiosity. Many times, employees have some of the best ideas and asking them “Why do we do it that way” or “What would you like to see happen” will bring forth a creative solution. Also, having a diverse team with different experiences who are inspired to give feedback can enhance our approaches to healthcare challenges. Finally, reading literature from other industries can create new thinking.
Q: Healthcare has had calls for disruption, innovation and transformation for years now. Do
you feel we are seeing that change? Why or why not?
JA: There has always been and will continue to be dynamic change in health care. The explosion of technology is driving unique approaches to care delivery. Of course, we need to embrace these changes and disruptors and translate their use to match our patients’ needs. In addition, we have to consider that health care is still a people business, and we must incorporate the human element as well.
Where do you go for inspiration and fresh ideas? Beckers, of course! In all seriousness, the conference speakers are the best in the industry and the sessions are relevant to leaders in hospitals both large and small. And I don't have to look any further than my inbox daily for the most recent healthcare news and best practices.
What do you see as the most exciting opportunity in healthcare right now? The most exciting opportunity in healthcare today is the move to value-driven care with the patient at the center focusing on wellness and prevention instead of treating signs and symptoms with volume-driven sick visits and hospitalizations. Accountable care, the merit-based incentive payment system (MIPS) and value-based payment programs are driving providers from volume to value-based care with incentives to reward both the physician and the patient!
Healthcare has had calls for disruption, innovation and transformation for years now. Do you feel we are seeing that change? Why or why not? Yes, hospitals that are driving change and transformation are receiving high marks in quality and patient-satisfaction. They are investing in technology to coordinate care and making access easier for their patients. At the same time, they are educating and preparing their workforce to be responsive to innovative change. The age of volume-driven fee-for-service medicine is gradually giving way to value-based care. Hospitals must transform to become organizations that reward value instead of volume and develop delivery methods that use evidence-based practices, procedures and technologies to attain optimal outcomes and achieve greater efficiencies. Many primary care providers have heard the call for value and are joining ACO's and working to meet this demand. Sadly hospitals that haven’t transformed to ensure the highest quality patient-centered care and the most competitive prices are being bypassed by the primary care physicians, the patients and the payers. "