1 00:00:00,235 --> 00:00:02,205 - Prepare to dive into the forefront 2 00:00:02,225 --> 00:00:05,525 of healthcare innovation at our 14th annual meeting coming 3 00:00:05,545 --> 00:00:06,645 up on April 8th 4 00:00:06,645 --> 00:00:10,765 through 11th at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago, with thousands 5 00:00:10,765 --> 00:00:13,965 of industry leaders converging over four dynamic days 6 00:00:13,985 --> 00:00:16,805 of discussions on crucial topics from health IT 7 00:00:17,185 --> 00:00:18,685 to executive leadership. 8 00:00:18,995 --> 00:00:21,325 It's where the future of healthcare takes shape. 9 00:00:21,865 --> 00:00:24,085 We can't wait to connect with you in person 10 00:00:24,305 --> 00:00:26,725 and engage in these important conversations. 11 00:00:27,675 --> 00:00:30,205 - This is Laura Dedo with the Becker's Healthcare Podcast. 12 00:00:30,865 --> 00:00:32,325 I'm thrilled today to be joined by Dr. 13 00:00:32,605 --> 00:00:34,005 Puja Villa, vice President 14 00:00:34,005 --> 00:00:35,765 and Chief Medical Officer at BJC 15 00:00:35,765 --> 00:00:37,085 Healthcare's Christian Hospital. 16 00:00:37,545 --> 00:00:39,885 Dr. Villa is a pleasure to have you on the podcast today. 17 00:00:41,165 --> 00:00:42,255 - It's a pleasure to be here. 18 00:00:43,555 --> 00:00:45,135 - Now I know we have a lot to talk about, 19 00:00:45,195 --> 00:00:47,495 and certainly I'll be excited to learn more about 20 00:00:47,845 --> 00:00:48,855 what you're doing and 21 00:00:48,855 --> 00:00:51,055 how you're making an impact on the community that you serve. 22 00:00:51,155 --> 00:00:52,655 But before we dive into my questions, 23 00:00:52,655 --> 00:00:53,575 can you tell me a little bit more 24 00:00:53,575 --> 00:00:54,895 about yourself and your background? 25 00:00:56,295 --> 00:00:59,585 - Yeah, absolutely. I'm the Chief Medical Officer here 26 00:00:59,605 --> 00:01:00,625 at Christian Hospital. 27 00:01:00,715 --> 00:01:04,105 We're a part of the BJC health system, um, in St. 28 00:01:04,105 --> 00:01:06,265 Louis, Missouri. I've been in my role 29 00:01:06,445 --> 00:01:09,025 for almost two and a half years. 30 00:01:09,685 --> 00:01:12,985 Um, prior to that, I, uh, was a medical director 31 00:01:12,985 --> 00:01:14,905 for the hospitalist medicine department, 32 00:01:15,565 --> 00:01:18,185 and I'm originally from the northeast. 33 00:01:18,345 --> 00:01:21,545 I did my residency in internal medicine at Northwell. 34 00:01:22,205 --> 00:01:25,105 Um, and, uh, I'm happy to be here 35 00:01:25,165 --> 00:01:27,025 to have a conversation with you today. 36 00:01:29,255 --> 00:01:31,595 - That's great to hear. Now I'm wondering, you know, 37 00:01:31,665 --> 00:01:34,515 obviously there's been a lot happening in healthcare over 38 00:01:34,515 --> 00:01:37,715 the past few years, but if you could zero in on one change 39 00:01:37,715 --> 00:01:39,035 that you made in the last year 40 00:01:39,035 --> 00:01:41,395 or so that had great results, I would love to hear about it. 41 00:01:42,995 --> 00:01:45,015 - Um, you know, one thing that we're really proud of 42 00:01:45,015 --> 00:01:47,455 that we did last year was, um, improve 43 00:01:47,995 --> 00:01:49,575 our case management department. 44 00:01:49,715 --> 00:01:54,415 Uh, we transitioned to a contemporary care model where 45 00:01:54,995 --> 00:01:56,935 the role of our case managers 46 00:01:56,935 --> 00:01:59,135 and social workers was aligned 47 00:01:59,135 --> 00:02:00,735 to their education and expertise. 48 00:02:01,435 --> 00:02:06,175 Um, this, in my opinion, directly impacted our length 49 00:02:06,175 --> 00:02:08,015 of stay for our patients in the hospital. 50 00:02:08,635 --> 00:02:10,935 Um, we went from a length of stay 51 00:02:11,075 --> 00:02:14,975 of 6.5 in January down to 5.2 52 00:02:15,235 --> 00:02:16,335 by the end of the year. 53 00:02:18,895 --> 00:02:20,035 - Oh, wow. That's amazing. 54 00:02:20,335 --> 00:02:23,315 And, you know, a huge, huge impact, I can imagine on 55 00:02:23,315 --> 00:02:26,515 so many things, whether it's a patient throughput, um, in, 56 00:02:26,535 --> 00:02:28,795 in, in efficiency, as well as the financial, uh, 57 00:02:28,935 --> 00:02:30,035 at the organization. 58 00:02:30,135 --> 00:02:33,635 So when you look at getting that great results 59 00:02:33,655 --> 00:02:37,115 and being able to lower the length of stay, um, how, 60 00:02:37,295 --> 00:02:40,195 you know, I guess what actions did the team take and 61 00:02:40,215 --> 00:02:43,235 and what did you do to make sure that you are able to, um, 62 00:02:43,305 --> 00:02:44,475 have such great results? 63 00:02:45,535 --> 00:02:47,995 - Um, you know, it comes down to communication, uh, 64 00:02:47,995 --> 00:02:52,035 making sure that our teams are all talking to each other. 65 00:02:52,505 --> 00:02:56,675 Everybody has patient care as their top goal and priority, 66 00:02:57,255 --> 00:02:59,925 but, you know, we end up missing a lot 67 00:02:59,925 --> 00:03:03,045 of information when we're just not communicating, uh, 68 00:03:03,075 --> 00:03:04,285 with our case managers 69 00:03:04,285 --> 00:03:08,085 and social workers now being aligned with their activities 70 00:03:08,085 --> 00:03:10,285 and work, we had our providers 71 00:03:10,305 --> 00:03:14,125 and nursing as, um, a group communicating together 72 00:03:14,185 --> 00:03:15,685 to make sure that, you know, 73 00:03:15,685 --> 00:03:17,765 we have the right plan in place for our patients. 74 00:03:18,585 --> 00:03:23,445 Um, and for us, it's really important to understand the 75 00:03:24,235 --> 00:03:27,245 community that this hospital is in. 76 00:03:28,065 --> 00:03:30,525 Our patients, not only do we care about taking care 77 00:03:30,525 --> 00:03:31,765 of them within our four walls, 78 00:03:31,945 --> 00:03:34,645 but it's very important to us what's going on 79 00:03:35,215 --> 00:03:36,605 after they're discharged. 80 00:03:37,025 --> 00:03:39,285 Um, whether they're getting the care that they need, 81 00:03:39,625 --> 00:03:41,925 are they following up with their primary docs 82 00:03:42,225 --> 00:03:44,605 or other specialists in the community? 83 00:03:45,105 --> 00:03:48,045 Um, and do they have access to resources, um, 84 00:03:48,775 --> 00:03:50,245 wanna make sure they have transportation 85 00:03:50,745 --> 00:03:53,005 or access to healthy food options? 86 00:03:53,505 --> 00:03:56,645 And they're able to understand their disease processes 87 00:03:56,785 --> 00:04:00,325 and we're able to somehow give them some 88 00:04:01,035 --> 00:04:04,445 education on what they should expect from their condition. 89 00:04:06,955 --> 00:04:08,005 - That makes a lot of sense, 90 00:04:08,065 --> 00:04:11,245 and I can imagine it is really helpful for patients as well, 91 00:04:11,545 --> 00:04:14,285 um, just to have that kind of clarity and, 92 00:04:14,425 --> 00:04:15,805 and, um, team around them. 93 00:04:16,105 --> 00:04:17,565 So that's really cool to hear. 94 00:04:18,265 --> 00:04:19,845 Now, what are some of the top trends 95 00:04:19,845 --> 00:04:21,285 that you're following in healthcare right now? 96 00:04:21,285 --> 00:04:22,725 What's really top of mind for you? 97 00:04:24,245 --> 00:04:25,845 - I will say staff 98 00:04:26,025 --> 00:04:28,485 and physician wellbeing is really important. 99 00:04:28,745 --> 00:04:31,045 And, and that kind of goes with what, um, 100 00:04:31,345 --> 00:04:33,045 what's going on in the workplace, 101 00:04:33,435 --> 00:04:35,445 workplace violence and safety. 102 00:04:36,305 --> 00:04:40,845 Um, after Covid, I think we started to notice 103 00:04:40,955 --> 00:04:42,885 that workplace violence was going up. 104 00:04:43,425 --> 00:04:47,765 Um, we were in such a state of constant, um, 105 00:04:49,125 --> 00:04:53,205 reaction of the pandemic that we didn't stop 106 00:04:53,385 --> 00:04:55,325 and think about ourselves. 107 00:04:55,985 --> 00:04:58,245 So now we're sort of seeing our providers 108 00:04:58,265 --> 00:05:02,005 and our staff, you know, coming out of that zone of burnout. 109 00:05:02,825 --> 00:05:05,445 Um, my focus has been to just make sure 110 00:05:05,445 --> 00:05:08,605 that the teams here have the resources that they need. 111 00:05:09,185 --> 00:05:13,125 Um, it really comes down to just taking care of our people. 112 00:05:14,795 --> 00:05:16,135 - That's such an excellent point, 113 00:05:16,155 --> 00:05:17,735 and certainly, you know, I, 114 00:05:17,855 --> 00:05:21,335 I know organizations across the country are, um, trying 115 00:05:21,395 --> 00:05:23,815 to troubleshoot the same things and, 116 00:05:23,815 --> 00:05:24,975 and making sure, like you said, 117 00:05:24,975 --> 00:05:26,295 that caregivers are supported. 118 00:05:26,755 --> 00:05:29,655 Um, and obviously especially on the heels of, 119 00:05:29,675 --> 00:05:34,015 of a very stressful last few years in, in many cases, um, 120 00:05:34,205 --> 00:05:36,295 continued, you know, uh, patient volume 121 00:05:36,555 --> 00:05:38,335 and stressors within the healthcare space. 122 00:05:38,915 --> 00:05:42,215 Is there anything, um, that you've noticed about, you know, 123 00:05:42,355 --> 00:05:45,295 as you've turned more focus into workplace safety as well 124 00:05:45,295 --> 00:05:48,735 as, um, caring for the wellness, um, 125 00:05:48,845 --> 00:05:50,935 that you've found worked particularly well? 126 00:05:50,995 --> 00:05:54,015 Or any, anything that caregivers have, um, 127 00:05:54,125 --> 00:05:56,375 requested specifically that you've been able to do 128 00:05:56,375 --> 00:05:59,005 to really make things easier, lighten the burden for them? 129 00:06:00,225 --> 00:06:03,165 - You know, um, what I think really works 130 00:06:03,465 --> 00:06:05,245 is building relationships. 131 00:06:06,275 --> 00:06:09,085 Just getting people to talk to each other, talk 132 00:06:09,085 --> 00:06:11,885 to somebody they trust, um, being able 133 00:06:11,885 --> 00:06:15,685 to share what's going on, um, and, 134 00:06:15,945 --> 00:06:19,165 and growing trust within the organization. 135 00:06:19,905 --> 00:06:23,365 Um, I think that's really important, not just for leaders, 136 00:06:23,585 --> 00:06:26,165 but also, um, when you're talking to your peers 137 00:06:26,865 --> 00:06:29,125 for physicians, you know, I, I try to make sure 138 00:06:29,125 --> 00:06:33,925 that I am getting to know them, um, really in, in, 139 00:06:34,305 --> 00:06:36,925 in their professional world as well as their personal life. 140 00:06:37,225 --> 00:06:40,085 Um, 'cause the more you understand somebody 141 00:06:40,085 --> 00:06:42,965 and you get to know them, the more you'll be able 142 00:06:42,965 --> 00:06:45,805 to pick up when something's not right, when somebody's, uh, 143 00:06:46,205 --> 00:06:47,805 behaving differently than their norm. 144 00:06:48,105 --> 00:06:50,645 And that's when you as a leader can identify that 145 00:06:51,155 --> 00:06:53,725 this person might need some sort of help, some sort 146 00:06:53,725 --> 00:06:55,285 of resource, or, um, 147 00:06:55,455 --> 00:06:57,205 maybe they just need to talk to somebody. 148 00:06:58,185 --> 00:07:00,565 Um, same thing with caregivers. 149 00:07:00,665 --> 00:07:03,365 You know, building relationships that will lead 150 00:07:03,465 --> 00:07:06,405 to some other form of networking for them to be able 151 00:07:06,405 --> 00:07:08,965 to link into other resources 152 00:07:08,965 --> 00:07:10,525 that are available in the community. 153 00:07:11,105 --> 00:07:14,845 Um, it, to me, it always comes down to the backbone 154 00:07:15,025 --> 00:07:16,845 of building relationships and, 155 00:07:16,905 --> 00:07:18,125 and getting people to network. 156 00:07:21,275 --> 00:07:22,325 - That makes a lot of sense. 157 00:07:22,385 --> 00:07:24,685 And, um, you know, definitely is cool to see 158 00:07:24,685 --> 00:07:26,685 that you've been able to move in that direction. 159 00:07:27,025 --> 00:07:28,205 Before we wrap up here, 160 00:07:28,425 --> 00:07:30,925 how are you thinking about growth over the next 12 161 00:07:30,945 --> 00:07:32,125 to 24 months or so? 162 00:07:33,485 --> 00:07:36,365 - I, I'm really hoping to focus a lot more, again, 163 00:07:36,425 --> 00:07:37,805 on our staff and physicians. 164 00:07:37,955 --> 00:07:39,685 What I'm really looking to do is 165 00:07:40,625 --> 00:07:43,685 get more physician engagement and then help our staff 166 00:07:43,825 --> 00:07:47,805 and physicians develop, um, develop for the next stage. 167 00:07:47,865 --> 00:07:51,085 You know, um, maybe that means leadership development. 168 00:07:51,135 --> 00:07:53,525 Maybe that just means understanding their workplace 169 00:07:53,545 --> 00:07:56,645 and the constant changes that we deal with in healthcare. 170 00:07:59,585 --> 00:08:00,605 - Got it. Absolutely. 171 00:08:00,805 --> 00:08:02,365 I, I love that kind of focus 172 00:08:02,465 --> 00:08:04,805 and ability to impart that knowledge 173 00:08:04,805 --> 00:08:07,285 and in thinking about the next generation, what's gonna be 174 00:08:07,865 --> 00:08:10,445 so vital for leaders as they're moving forward. 175 00:08:11,385 --> 00:08:12,565 Dr. Valez, thank you so much 176 00:08:12,565 --> 00:08:13,965 for joining us on the podcast today. 177 00:08:13,995 --> 00:08:17,205 This is so, um, such an interesting conversation. 178 00:08:17,325 --> 00:08:18,965 I look forward to connecting with you again soon. 179 00:08:20,295 --> 00:08:22,125 - Thank you. I really appreciate, um, 180 00:08:22,375 --> 00:08:24,245 being given this opportunity to chat with you.