GUMC Update

Health Care Leader Speaks at GU

February 17, 2010

Effective leaders must be consistent and communicative, implement best practices, reward strong employees, and curb underperformance in order to gain organizational success, according to a longtime health systems leader and consultant.

Quint Studer, president and CEO of the health care consulting firm Studer Group, delivered an address in the Bunn Intercultural Center Auditorium on Feb. 3, at the invitation of the Department of Health Systems Administration at Georgetown University.

Studer, who founded the firm in 2000, and his team coach more than 400 hospitals and health systems to become world-class leaders in service and operational excellence, according to the organization’s Web site.

In 2008, he was named to Modern Healthcare magazine’s “100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare.” Immediately before the Studer Group, he served as administrator of Baptist Hospital, Inc. in Pensacola, Fla., and, prior to that, as COO of Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago.

“Your accomplishments are really known to all of us,” said Patricia Cloonan, Ph.D., interim chair of the Department of Health Systems Administration. “You remind us all why we came into health care.”

Cloonan also thanked the Association of University Programs in Health Administration for helping bring Studer to Georgetown’s campus.

During his talk to more than 70 students, faculty, alumni, and staff, Studer addressed a wide variety of topics related to effective health systems management.

For example, one area involves a willingness to enact evidence-based best practices.

Studer highlighted research that shows the implementation of hourly rounds by nursing staff reduces infections by 14 percent and falls by 50 percent.

Also, he said, a follow-up phone call to discharged patients diminishes readmission by 33 percent due to reduction of medication errors made at home.

The question for leaders, he said, is how do they take that information and standardize such promising practices throughout the country.

Another critical issue involves leadership skills and training in health care organizations. Poor leadership results in organizational inconsistencies, high staff turnover, and weakened patient outcomes, he said.

“We don’t spend a lot of time developing people in health care as leaders,” said Studer. “We’re homegrown.”

Good leaders, he said, are able to connect employees to the organization’s values, recruit skilled talent, recognize strong performance, and make sure low performing employees are aware of consequences.

In a serious business like health care, none of these issues should be taken lightly. “The impact we can have on people’s lives is absolutely tremendous,” he said.

Submit your news at any time to the GUMC Office of Communications at gumccomm@georgetown.edu.

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