David Dill looks to the advice of his father to inform both his personal and professional decisions: "Always do the right thing — especially when no one is looking."
As chair and CEO of Brentwood, Tenn.-based LifePoint Health, that same advice guides Mr. Dill to lead with integrity while ensuring high-quality care and high patient safety standards amid the company's recent acquisition of Louisville, Ky.-based Kindred Healthcare.
Mr. Dill joined LifePoint as executive vice president and CFO in 2007. He was named COO in 2009 and appointed president and COO in 2011. He became CEO in 2018.
In December 2021, LifePoint acquired Kindred Healthcare and officially launched ScionHealth, a new healthcare company resulting from the transaction.
LifePoint now operates in 29 states, with more than 65 community hospital campuses; more than 30 rehabilitation and behavioral health hospitals; and more than 170 acute rehabilitation units, outpatient centers, post-acute care facilities and other sites of care.
Here, Mr. Dill answers Becker's Hospital Review's seven "Corner Office" questions.
Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and style.
Question: What's one thing that really piqued your interest in healthcare?
David Dill: At its core, healthcare is focused on helping people, and having the opportunity to positively impact the lives of others has always been very inspiring to me. I am deeply appreciative of our providers, nurses and other clinical team members who care for patients at the bedside, as they are truly at the heart of advancing LifePoint Health's mission of Making Communities Healthier.
Q: What do you enjoy most about being in Nashville?
DD: It has been incredible to watch the city grow and develop since I’ve lived here. Today, Nashville is rapidly growing and evolving beyond its longtime reputation as "Music City." While the music and entertainment industry is as strong as ever, healthcare is Nashville's largest and fastest-growing economic sector. In fact, more than 500 healthcare companies currently have operations in Nashville. We also have a thriving culinary and sports/recreation scene, with a number of major league teams calling Nashville home. Seeing the city's transformation take place firsthand and getting to enjoy the multitude of things it has to offer is a real treat.
Q: If you could eliminate one of the healthcare industry's problems overnight, which would it be?
DD: It is no secret that hospitals and healthcare organizations have faced challenging workforce shortages because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This ongoing, industrywide shortage continues to put pressure on hospitals and other sites of care during a very critical time. Given this, I would choose to resolve the persistent issue of not having an abundant supply of skilled clinical staff to continue providing high-quality care for patients and serving our communities.
Q: What is your greatest talent or skill outside of the C-suite?
DD: I enjoy fostering strong relationships that can help bring innovative ideas to fruition and connecting with others through sport, in particular. For instance, I am an avid sports fan and was excited to play a role in bringing Major League Soccer to Nashville for people of all ages to enjoy.
Q: How do you revitalize yourself?
DD: Spending quality time with my family — especially my wife, Ashley — is what helps me unwind and recharge when work and life become hectic. Even though it can be difficult to do, it is very important for me to be intentional about carving out focused and uninterrupted time with the people I love most.
Q: What's one piece of advice you remember most clearly?
DD: My favorite piece of advice is from my father who counseled me to always do the right thing — especially when no one is looking. These words of wisdom have served me well in my life, both personally and professionally.
Q: What do you consider your greatest achievement at LifePoint Health so far?
DD: LifePoint Health's deep commitment to delivering high-quality care to those we serve is central to our mission of "making communities healthier" and our vision of creating places where people choose to come for healthcare, physicians want to practice and employees want to work. To this end, I'm most proud of helping to champion the growth and expansion of LifePoint's National Quality Program, which serves as the enduring framework and foundation for our strategic approach to improving quality across our system. The program fuels our ongoing efforts to ensure consistent, high standards of quality and patient safety in communities nationwide. Not only has it helped drive improvements across the LifePoint system, but this program also serves as a model for the healthcare industry as a whole. It has demonstrated how healthcare facilities of all types and sizes serving a variety of patient populations can operationalize quality, create a national learning laboratory and engineer a sustainable culture of safety.