Leading Through Change at Strong Memorial Hospital with Deirdre Salanger

In this episode, Dr. Kenneth Altman, Chair of Otolaryngology at Geisinger Health System, shares how his team is improving access to head and neck cancer care, empowering frontline providers, and building interoperable systems across a growing rural network. He also reflects on cultivating professionalism, supporting the next generation of clinicians, and investing in people to drive long term organizational growth.

In this episode, Vikram Kashyap, MD, FACS, Endowed Chair of the Frederik Meijer Heart and Vascular Institute and Vice President of Cardiovascular Health at Corewell Health, discusses reducing mortality through systemwide collaboration, navigating anesthesia workforce transitions, expanding into heart and lung integration, and building a unified cardiovascular strategy across the state.

In this episode, Ericka Powell, MD, Vice President of Medical Affairs at WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital within WellSpan Health, discusses reducing length of stay variation, strengthening physician engagement, and using data driven care pathways to improve quality, workforce stability, and value based performance.

In this episode, Dawn Maroney, President of Alignment Health and CEO of Alignment Health Plan, joins the podcast to discuss how payer–provider relationships are evolving amid cost pressures and workforce shortages. She explores common gaps between strategy and execution, the importance of disciplined operational follow-through, and why healthy competition remains essential to driving innovation, value, and improved outcomes across the healthcare landscape.

In this episode, Christopher Burks, Vice President of Laboratory and Support Services at Brown University Health, discusses integrating newly acquired hospitals, aligning revenue and operations, and building the laboratory bandwidth needed to support ambulatory growth and long term system expansion.

In this episode, Deirdre Salanger, Chief Operating Officer of Strong Memorial Hospital at University of Rochester Medical Center, discusses returning from maternity leave into a new leadership role, strengthening workforce engagement, and balancing access and capacity amid financial pressures. She shares how digital tools, disciplined investment, and academic partnership are positioning the organization for long term growth and innovation.

In this episode, Dr. Bill Cooper, Senior Vice President for Professionalism and Clinical Excellence at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Pediatrics and Health Policy at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, shares how structured feedback, credo based evaluations, and peer led cup of coffee conversations strengthen culture and patient safety. He explains how timely, respectful interventions improve clinician behavior, engagement, and overall care delivery.

In this episode, Clair Kuriakose, Vice President and Chief Advanced Practice Officer at Stanford Health Care, shares how intentional team based care drove a 17 percent rise in ambulatory APP visits, outlines efforts to ease capacity strain through Stanford Health Care at Home, and discusses building strong governance to responsibly scale AI and advanced practice innovation.

In this episode, Alen Brcic, Chief Human Resources Officer at Methodist Health System, shares how a focus on engagement, retention, and culture has driven top percentile performance in turnover and employee engagement. He discusses leveraging AI in talent strategy, strengthening leadership accountability, and upskilling the workforce to elevate patient experience and prepare for the next century of care.

In this episode, Dr. Janice Walker, DHA, RN, inaugural Chief Nursing Officer of UF Health, discusses building an integrated nursing strategy, driving quality outcomes, and creating a culture of shared governance. She shares insights on recruitment, retention, and developing talent pipelines to strengthen workforce stability across the system.