In this special Speaker Series, Becker's Healthcare caught up with John Haupert, CEO of Grady Hospital in Atlanta.
Mr. Haupert will speak on a panel at Becker's Hospital Review 7th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable titled, "Can Costs Still Be Taken Out of Organizations? Core Thoughts for 2018 and 2019," at 10:10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 14. Learn more about the event and register to attend in Chicago.
Question: What keeps you excited and motivated to come to work each day?
John Haupert: Knowing every day the people of Grady make a difference in the lives of everyone who walks through our doors. People depend on us to take care of them and their families, and that motivates me to ensure that we are constantly working to provide the best, most innovative care available.
Q: What major challenges, financial or otherwise, are affecting hospitals in the markets you serve? How is your hospital responding?
JH: It's safe to say all hospitals are challenged by the uncertainty of our current political environment. Grady and other public hospitals across the country rely on Medicaid reimbursement. The prospect of cuts to Medicaid and increased numbers of uninsured patients threatens our ability to serve everyone in our community regardless of their age or coverage-status. Grady has worked to reduce the amount of unreimbursed care we provide by working with patients to make sure they are utilizing all the public programs they are eligible for. We were able to go from 42 percent of our patients being uninsured to 27 percent, which dramatically increased our Medicaid reimbursement. It's great for us, because we're now getting paid something, but more importantly it benefits our patients because they aren't afraid to seek the care they need.
Q: If you could pass along one piece of advice to another hospital executive, what would it be?
JH: Recruit and hire the best people. Your hospital is only as good as the people who work there — from doctors and nurses to administrative staff and technicians. Cultivate a culture that engages and motivates staff to carry out the hospital's mission.
Q: What initially piqued your interest in healthcare?
JH: My family has a long history working in healthcare — my parents were on the board of Mercy Hospital Fort Smith in Arkansas, and several members of my family were doctors at the hospital. My first job was as an orderly there, so I was exposed to the inner workings of hospitals and healthcare from an early age. After college I knew I wanted to apply my business and finance expertise to something that would make a difference in people's lives, and healthcare fit both of those criteria.
Q: What's one conviction in healthcare that needs to be challenged?
JH: That high-quality healthcare is a privilege available only to those who can afford it. Healthcare is a civil right and our most vulnerable citizens are currently being denied that right. The lack of access is the high-quality care is a national crisis that isn't being adequately addressed. We need reforms that close the gap in healthcare disparities and prioritize access to preventative care, so people don't end up in the hospital with serious illnesses that could have been addressed at an earlier stage.