On July 26, K. Alicia Schulhof became the president of Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla. She spoke to Catalyst on Oct. 26 about becoming the first woman in the role and taking the reins during the pandemic.
Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital is ranked in eight specialties in U.S. News & World Report. It houses 259 beds, more than half of which are devoted to intensive care.
Ms. Schulhof said she spent the early days of her tenure getting to know staff, spending time with them and listening to what they had to say. She even spent a night at the hospital to get the sense of what it is like to work through the night in the center.
"My top priority is to focus on the team, know what they need, and in turn, they care for patients," Ms. Schulhof said.
The pandemic has strained many healthcare systems, exacerbating staff shortages and intensifying patient illness. Ms. Schulhof told Catalyst that the pediatric hospital has also dealt with staffing challenges but is working on long-term solutions to hiring and retention. She also mentioned that the number of children dealing with mental health issues has increased.
"For children pre-pandemic, there were 1 in 5 kids with a mental health diagnosis. Now there's 1 in 3 or 4," she said.