1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,560 Welcome to Becker's Healthcare Podcast. I'm Chris Sosa, 2 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:04,240 your host, and I'm very happy to be 3 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:06,000 joined today by Joseph Carr. He is vice 4 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,400 president of supply chain and support services for 5 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:09,859 Akron Children's in Ohio. 6 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:12,259 Joseph, thank you for joining us today. 7 00:00:12,574 --> 00:00:15,134 Thanks for having me. Awesome. Well, we wanna 8 00:00:15,134 --> 00:00:17,214 give our audience an idea of everything that's 9 00:00:17,214 --> 00:00:19,934 going on supply chain wise at Akron Children's. 10 00:00:19,934 --> 00:00:21,614 But before we do that, could you please 11 00:00:21,614 --> 00:00:24,114 just introduce yourself and give us our audience 12 00:00:24,574 --> 00:00:26,494 a little bit more information about your background 13 00:00:26,494 --> 00:00:27,394 and your organization? 14 00:00:28,250 --> 00:00:31,210 Sure. So I'm, Joseph Carr, vice president of 15 00:00:31,210 --> 00:00:33,070 supply chain and support services 16 00:00:33,530 --> 00:00:35,229 at Akron Children's Hospital. 17 00:00:35,929 --> 00:00:39,210 Pretty neat to share the mission of Akron 18 00:00:39,210 --> 00:00:39,710 Children's 19 00:00:40,329 --> 00:00:42,670 is to improve the health of children, teenagers, 20 00:00:42,890 --> 00:00:43,814 and young adults, 21 00:00:44,534 --> 00:00:47,835 through excellence in patient care, education, research, advocacy, 22 00:00:48,614 --> 00:00:51,414 and, community partnerships. So our vision is to 23 00:00:51,414 --> 00:00:52,795 be most trusted, inclusive, 24 00:00:53,174 --> 00:00:56,600 and accessible pediatric health system in our communities 25 00:00:56,659 --> 00:00:57,320 we serve. 26 00:00:57,700 --> 00:01:00,600 So what makes Akron Children special 27 00:01:00,899 --> 00:01:01,960 is the legacy, 28 00:01:02,260 --> 00:01:03,000 the culture, 29 00:01:03,539 --> 00:01:04,040 and, 30 00:01:04,500 --> 00:01:05,319 our responsibility 31 00:01:05,700 --> 00:01:07,640 to Northeast Ohio. So 32 00:01:08,034 --> 00:01:09,575 since 1890, 33 00:01:09,635 --> 00:01:12,275 we've treated every child as we would our 34 00:01:12,275 --> 00:01:14,674 own and never turned the child away. So 35 00:01:14,674 --> 00:01:15,415 that commitment, 36 00:01:16,354 --> 00:01:18,854 really matters deeply in our region. 37 00:01:19,155 --> 00:01:20,935 We're deep rooted here. 38 00:01:21,489 --> 00:01:23,909 Families rely on us not only for everyday 39 00:01:24,049 --> 00:01:27,729 pediatric care, but for the very complex and 40 00:01:27,729 --> 00:01:31,250 critical needs. Being a level one pediatric trauma 41 00:01:31,250 --> 00:01:31,750 center, 42 00:01:32,289 --> 00:01:34,609 we serve as a regional safety net and 43 00:01:34,609 --> 00:01:35,590 referral destination 44 00:01:36,085 --> 00:01:37,704 in caring for children, 45 00:01:38,085 --> 00:01:40,745 you know, in the most vulnerable moment moments, 46 00:01:41,284 --> 00:01:43,765 ensuring that they have access close to home. 47 00:01:43,765 --> 00:01:46,645 So today, we have two hospital campuses, six 48 00:01:46,645 --> 00:01:48,325 regional health centers, and, 49 00:01:48,719 --> 00:01:51,780 more than 50 primary and specialty care locations 50 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:52,740 across Ohio, 51 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,400 and care for over a million patients each 52 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,520 year. From surgeries and urgent care to school 53 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,594 health and home care, we go beyond hospital 54 00:02:02,594 --> 00:02:03,094 walls 55 00:02:03,474 --> 00:02:05,715 being a vital part of the health and 56 00:02:05,715 --> 00:02:08,354 stability of the communities. And we've only had 57 00:02:08,354 --> 00:02:10,375 a few CEOs in our history. 58 00:02:11,235 --> 00:02:13,555 We are very fortunate to be led by 59 00:02:13,555 --> 00:02:15,895 Chris Gessner, a visionary leader 60 00:02:16,430 --> 00:02:19,230 supported by one of the strongest executive teams 61 00:02:19,230 --> 00:02:20,610 I've worked with. And 62 00:02:21,069 --> 00:02:24,270 so the culture, financial resiliency, and forward thinking 63 00:02:24,270 --> 00:02:25,569 mindset, the inclusiveness 64 00:02:25,950 --> 00:02:29,250 are very exceptional here. And, honestly, not many 65 00:02:29,564 --> 00:02:32,705 workplaces include therapy dogs, Elmo, 66 00:02:33,324 --> 00:02:33,824 executives 67 00:02:34,205 --> 00:02:36,705 dressed as Nemo, and then the co occasional 68 00:02:37,245 --> 00:02:39,004 hall of famer in the hallway. It's a 69 00:02:39,004 --> 00:02:41,745 place that keeps you inspired every day. 70 00:02:42,129 --> 00:02:43,969 It sounds like a fun way place to 71 00:02:43,969 --> 00:02:45,030 work to be sure. 72 00:02:45,650 --> 00:02:47,889 Yeah. It is. Just so before we get 73 00:02:47,889 --> 00:02:50,689 into what lies in the future for Akron 74 00:02:50,689 --> 00:02:52,770 Children's, let's look at at 2025 75 00:02:52,770 --> 00:02:54,794 just for a moment here. So what would 76 00:02:54,794 --> 00:02:56,955 you say is the most important initiative you 77 00:02:56,955 --> 00:02:57,775 and your team 78 00:02:58,155 --> 00:02:59,675 led in 2025? 79 00:02:59,675 --> 00:03:01,275 Take us through how it evolved and and 80 00:03:01,275 --> 00:03:01,914 the results, 81 00:03:02,235 --> 00:03:04,014 that, you'd like to highlight. 82 00:03:05,034 --> 00:03:07,854 Sure. You know, without question, it's been 83 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:12,400 transforming our supply chain support services into a 84 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:14,900 clinically integrated strategic model. 85 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:18,260 We branded that Commit for Kids program. 86 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:20,819 And so think of historically 87 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:21,780 more than 88 00:03:22,185 --> 00:03:25,325 80% of contracting and inventory decisions 89 00:03:25,705 --> 00:03:28,444 were handled by clinicians and department leaders, 90 00:03:28,985 --> 00:03:30,045 which inevitably 91 00:03:30,425 --> 00:03:32,365 pulls them away from patient care. 92 00:03:32,825 --> 00:03:35,680 So our goal was to shift that back 93 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:36,900 to supply chain 94 00:03:37,199 --> 00:03:40,180 while keeping clinical voices at the decision 95 00:03:40,959 --> 00:03:41,860 centerpiece and 96 00:03:42,479 --> 00:03:45,300 aligning operations with our mission to give caregivers 97 00:03:45,599 --> 00:03:47,620 more time with patients. So 98 00:03:48,385 --> 00:03:50,645 to do that, we formed a multidisciplinary 99 00:03:51,264 --> 00:03:52,724 team, 20 stakeholders, 100 00:03:53,264 --> 00:03:55,125 partnered with our GPO, Visiant, 101 00:03:55,665 --> 00:03:57,825 alongside with a 135 102 00:03:57,825 --> 00:03:58,965 hospital consortium 103 00:03:59,745 --> 00:04:02,545 to standardize more than a 100 clinical product 104 00:04:02,545 --> 00:04:03,045 categories. 105 00:04:03,889 --> 00:04:04,709 Now we hosted 106 00:04:05,009 --> 00:04:07,650 a nine day product expo with over a 107 00:04:07,650 --> 00:04:08,870 140 clinicians 108 00:04:09,250 --> 00:04:10,789 capturing their feedback, 109 00:04:11,489 --> 00:04:13,830 to guide adoption. And alongside that, 110 00:04:14,129 --> 00:04:16,310 we completed 11 lean projects, 111 00:04:17,004 --> 00:04:20,064 last year to introduce automation and core performance 112 00:04:20,205 --> 00:04:23,185 metrics and enhance our processes. So 113 00:04:23,485 --> 00:04:25,025 the results have been transformative. 114 00:04:25,884 --> 00:04:27,025 We opted into, 115 00:04:27,805 --> 00:04:29,665 close to 40 product categories 116 00:04:30,490 --> 00:04:30,990 generating, 117 00:04:31,290 --> 00:04:34,490 half 1,000,000 in immediate savings. And now we're 118 00:04:34,490 --> 00:04:37,529 projected to deliver more than 2,000,000 in annual 119 00:04:37,529 --> 00:04:38,029 savings, 120 00:04:38,889 --> 00:04:41,550 reducing SKUs, improving contract compliance. 121 00:04:42,089 --> 00:04:42,589 And, 122 00:04:42,970 --> 00:04:45,865 you know, as a previous clinician, one important 123 00:04:45,865 --> 00:04:48,264 thing to me is freeing up 90% of 124 00:04:48,264 --> 00:04:49,564 the clinician's time, 125 00:04:50,104 --> 00:04:50,604 previously 126 00:04:50,985 --> 00:04:53,084 spent on supply, relay tasks, 127 00:04:53,785 --> 00:04:56,104 to focus on patient care. So think of 128 00:04:56,104 --> 00:04:58,399 that spend that we talked about and that 129 00:04:58,539 --> 00:05:01,579 span of control we expanded from 15% to 130 00:05:01,579 --> 00:05:02,079 over 131 00:05:02,379 --> 00:05:03,279 90% 132 00:05:03,339 --> 00:05:06,379 of manageable spend. In addition to that, we 133 00:05:06,379 --> 00:05:08,300 did a lot of other good things, you 134 00:05:08,300 --> 00:05:08,800 know, 135 00:05:09,339 --> 00:05:11,279 developing a heat map and 136 00:05:11,875 --> 00:05:15,095 expanding clinician engagement with GPO councils. 137 00:05:15,634 --> 00:05:17,794 If you kinda look at our baseline with, 138 00:05:17,794 --> 00:05:19,095 like, a good Gartner 139 00:05:19,555 --> 00:05:22,035 supply chain maturity model, we went from a 140 00:05:22,035 --> 00:05:24,595 one plus to a near four in a 141 00:05:24,595 --> 00:05:26,294 short period of time. So 142 00:05:26,675 --> 00:05:27,089 without 143 00:05:27,490 --> 00:05:28,550 strong clinical 144 00:05:28,930 --> 00:05:32,930 partnership and external collaboration through strategic suppliers, it 145 00:05:32,930 --> 00:05:34,069 wouldn't have been possible. 146 00:05:35,569 --> 00:05:37,889 Yeah. As an, a nurse, Joseph, you have 147 00:05:37,889 --> 00:05:39,829 that background, so you're able to 148 00:05:40,209 --> 00:05:41,324 bring that into your 149 00:05:41,884 --> 00:05:44,845 role here on supply chain. So, obviously, in 150 00:05:44,845 --> 00:05:47,085 any sort of undertaking like this, they're gonna 151 00:05:47,085 --> 00:05:49,725 be growing pains whenever you learn something new, 152 00:05:49,725 --> 00:05:53,004 and changes can be difficult and time consuming. 153 00:05:53,004 --> 00:05:55,229 Right? But now that you've had a chance 154 00:05:55,229 --> 00:05:58,029 to look back on that, initiative that you 155 00:05:58,029 --> 00:06:00,189 just shared with us, I mean, what's been 156 00:06:01,149 --> 00:06:02,050 how have clinicians 157 00:06:03,470 --> 00:06:05,629 should come to view this whole integration that 158 00:06:05,629 --> 00:06:06,689 you've just outlined? 159 00:06:07,324 --> 00:06:08,785 It's very unique here. 160 00:06:09,245 --> 00:06:10,545 The clinical integration 161 00:06:11,324 --> 00:06:11,824 oftentimes 162 00:06:12,365 --> 00:06:13,425 thought of as 163 00:06:13,805 --> 00:06:14,305 being 164 00:06:14,925 --> 00:06:17,745 resistant to change has been the complete opposite. 165 00:06:18,285 --> 00:06:20,125 You know, I go back to the days 166 00:06:20,125 --> 00:06:22,535 when I was a clinician and I, 167 00:06:23,379 --> 00:06:25,699 started in health care at Mayo Clinic and 168 00:06:25,699 --> 00:06:28,500 where, you know, folks saw potential in me, 169 00:06:28,500 --> 00:06:30,740 and I probably asked a question like, what's 170 00:06:30,740 --> 00:06:32,900 the price of that? And they said, hey. 171 00:06:32,900 --> 00:06:35,000 Let's see you as a guinea pig and 172 00:06:35,300 --> 00:06:37,400 build a clinically integrated model. 173 00:06:37,779 --> 00:06:39,685 And it just kind of, 174 00:06:40,305 --> 00:06:43,664 became natural to have those discussions and to 175 00:06:43,664 --> 00:06:44,964 speak to the quality 176 00:06:45,345 --> 00:06:48,544 over price or outcomes over cost equation with 177 00:06:48,544 --> 00:06:49,044 everyone. 178 00:06:49,664 --> 00:06:51,204 It really connects, 179 00:06:51,985 --> 00:06:54,959 the dots for them in different languages. And, 180 00:06:55,339 --> 00:06:58,959 just the the receptivity has been phenomenal from, 181 00:06:59,500 --> 00:07:02,800 the c suite all the way cascading through 182 00:07:03,019 --> 00:07:04,639 to the leadership. It's been, 183 00:07:04,939 --> 00:07:07,839 the PH has been really well primed 184 00:07:08,485 --> 00:07:11,305 to bring something of a such a strategic, 185 00:07:12,644 --> 00:07:14,725 nature and nonetheless do it in a short 186 00:07:14,725 --> 00:07:15,785 period of time. 187 00:07:16,164 --> 00:07:17,064 Many organizations, 188 00:07:17,764 --> 00:07:18,264 the 189 00:07:19,125 --> 00:07:21,064 the change management, the readiness, 190 00:07:22,084 --> 00:07:23,704 as we've teamed up with OPEX 191 00:07:24,290 --> 00:07:25,090 has not been, 192 00:07:25,490 --> 00:07:27,430 primed for those type of, 193 00:07:28,050 --> 00:07:28,550 ambitious 194 00:07:29,170 --> 00:07:31,889 transformations. And so we're very fortunate. A lot 195 00:07:31,889 --> 00:07:33,410 of folks would take a couple years to 196 00:07:33,410 --> 00:07:36,529 do that. Here, it's just, been a lot 197 00:07:36,529 --> 00:07:37,029 more 198 00:07:37,504 --> 00:07:39,845 expedite because of the engagement, the partnerships, 199 00:07:40,384 --> 00:07:44,144 and also building strategic partnerships outside of, you 200 00:07:44,144 --> 00:07:46,884 know, our ins inside our walls, 201 00:07:47,425 --> 00:07:49,284 with our GPO and distributors. 202 00:07:50,224 --> 00:07:51,449 That's accelerated 203 00:07:52,069 --> 00:07:52,889 the transformation. 204 00:07:54,069 --> 00:07:55,930 That's fantastic. I mean, it's always 205 00:07:56,470 --> 00:07:59,110 ideal to build that trust equity with the 206 00:07:59,110 --> 00:08:01,189 staff when you're making huge changes like this, 207 00:08:01,189 --> 00:08:02,009 I would imagine. 208 00:08:02,789 --> 00:08:04,089 So as we look into 209 00:08:04,954 --> 00:08:05,834 2026 210 00:08:05,834 --> 00:08:07,935 then, now that you've got some of these 211 00:08:08,154 --> 00:08:11,274 grand projects off the ground. Right? So what 212 00:08:11,274 --> 00:08:13,355 would you say are your biggest priorities for 213 00:08:13,355 --> 00:08:14,875 for you and your team that is and 214 00:08:14,875 --> 00:08:17,274 any headwinds or or even tailwinds that you're 215 00:08:17,274 --> 00:08:18,735 focused on for this year? 216 00:08:19,339 --> 00:08:22,459 Yeah. You know, as we've gotten organized with 217 00:08:22,459 --> 00:08:26,000 our strategic plan that cascades, of course, from, 218 00:08:26,459 --> 00:08:27,199 the organization, 219 00:08:28,620 --> 00:08:31,439 our our vision centers on three words, 220 00:08:32,059 --> 00:08:32,559 collaboration, 221 00:08:33,100 --> 00:08:33,600 performance, 222 00:08:34,334 --> 00:08:34,834 value. 223 00:08:35,615 --> 00:08:38,414 We love it. Ultimately, it ties back to 224 00:08:38,414 --> 00:08:39,154 our mission, 225 00:08:39,695 --> 00:08:40,195 giving 226 00:08:40,815 --> 00:08:42,095 clinicians more time. And, 227 00:08:43,934 --> 00:08:44,674 we see 228 00:08:45,695 --> 00:08:49,100 five pillars for us that are customized to 229 00:08:49,100 --> 00:08:49,920 supply chain, 230 00:08:50,620 --> 00:08:54,480 that start with logistics, distribution, and inventory assurance. 231 00:08:55,100 --> 00:08:55,600 So, 232 00:08:56,620 --> 00:08:59,179 very key for us in this year is 233 00:08:59,179 --> 00:09:01,820 to lay the foundation with launching an off-site 234 00:09:01,820 --> 00:09:02,320 distribution 235 00:09:02,884 --> 00:09:05,705 and lump model with our strategic partner, Medline, 236 00:09:06,485 --> 00:09:07,705 to be able to, 237 00:09:08,164 --> 00:09:11,524 free up our time in storeroom activities to 238 00:09:11,524 --> 00:09:12,024 expand 239 00:09:12,565 --> 00:09:15,684 inventory management operations into nursing units and, 240 00:09:16,500 --> 00:09:17,799 freeing up their time. 241 00:09:18,179 --> 00:09:19,720 So become operationally 242 00:09:20,580 --> 00:09:22,980 efficient. That's our first pillar with that section. 243 00:09:22,980 --> 00:09:25,559 And then customer fulfillment and relationships 244 00:09:26,179 --> 00:09:27,480 is our second pillar. 245 00:09:28,179 --> 00:09:29,799 Deepening our clinician 246 00:09:30,100 --> 00:09:32,644 engagement through the commit for kids, strengthening 247 00:09:33,105 --> 00:09:35,285 a service focused supply chain support. 248 00:09:35,825 --> 00:09:37,045 Again, expanding 249 00:09:37,425 --> 00:09:38,404 their voice, 250 00:09:38,865 --> 00:09:40,325 the voice of the customer 251 00:09:40,785 --> 00:09:42,725 into not just, our, 252 00:09:43,585 --> 00:09:44,085 internal 253 00:09:44,545 --> 00:09:46,085 four walls, but also, 254 00:09:46,785 --> 00:09:47,669 in the industry. 255 00:09:48,870 --> 00:09:51,610 To elaborate on that, I think it's probably 256 00:09:51,669 --> 00:09:53,049 important to recognize 257 00:09:53,669 --> 00:09:56,409 on a personal note, the mission of Akron 258 00:09:56,549 --> 00:09:57,850 Children's is deeply 259 00:09:58,389 --> 00:10:00,009 meaningful to my family. 260 00:10:01,137 --> 00:10:04,284 To translate, our fourth child, Luca, Gian Luca, 261 00:10:04,284 --> 00:10:05,424 has special needs, 262 00:10:05,884 --> 00:10:07,664 related to a genetic neurological 263 00:10:08,044 --> 00:10:08,544 condition. 264 00:10:09,164 --> 00:10:12,945 So as caregivers, we understand firsthand the importance 265 00:10:13,085 --> 00:10:16,870 of a standalone children's hospital. It's, truly been 266 00:10:17,009 --> 00:10:19,829 a blessing, a second home for our families. 267 00:10:19,889 --> 00:10:22,309 So that perspective is a gift. 268 00:10:23,009 --> 00:10:25,169 And so not only do we receive care, 269 00:10:25,169 --> 00:10:27,730 but be in a position to advocate for 270 00:10:27,730 --> 00:10:29,110 children and the families. 271 00:10:29,945 --> 00:10:32,504 This this is our journey. So when we 272 00:10:32,504 --> 00:10:36,024 talk about customer relationships and fulfillment and, 273 00:10:36,665 --> 00:10:39,485 expanding and advocating in that voice, 274 00:10:40,105 --> 00:10:41,404 it really is, 275 00:10:42,179 --> 00:10:44,820 something that is meaningful to myself and, of 276 00:10:44,820 --> 00:10:45,320 course, 277 00:10:45,779 --> 00:10:46,440 my team. 278 00:10:46,899 --> 00:10:49,540 The third pillar is data technology process and 279 00:10:49,540 --> 00:10:50,040 reporting. 280 00:10:50,740 --> 00:10:53,620 So we are focused on building a supply 281 00:10:53,620 --> 00:10:56,440 chain control tower aligned with our ERP 282 00:10:57,044 --> 00:10:59,524 implementation that's to go live with Workday in 283 00:10:59,524 --> 00:11:00,585 2027. 284 00:11:00,884 --> 00:11:02,725 So the design of that, of course, is 285 00:11:02,725 --> 00:11:05,205 going to be imperative to our success, gives 286 00:11:05,205 --> 00:11:05,945 us visibility, 287 00:11:06,485 --> 00:11:08,985 risk management, decision making, etcetera. 288 00:11:09,889 --> 00:11:11,990 Fourth pillar is work culture and engagement, 289 00:11:12,690 --> 00:11:13,190 modernizing 290 00:11:13,570 --> 00:11:14,549 our structure. 291 00:11:15,170 --> 00:11:18,370 We, just finished up building career ladders and 292 00:11:18,370 --> 00:11:18,870 investing 293 00:11:19,410 --> 00:11:21,110 in, talent development, 294 00:11:22,125 --> 00:11:25,245 through our partners too. So just seeing the 295 00:11:25,245 --> 00:11:27,184 growth and development of the teams, 296 00:11:27,565 --> 00:11:30,225 that's very meaningful to me as a leader. 297 00:11:30,764 --> 00:11:34,125 That kinda makes me that's my barometer for 298 00:11:34,125 --> 00:11:36,684 how successful I am as a leader, at 299 00:11:36,684 --> 00:11:38,259 the end of the day. And and the 300 00:11:38,259 --> 00:11:40,899 last pillar is growth and financial performance. Right? 301 00:11:40,899 --> 00:11:41,399 Expanding 302 00:11:41,700 --> 00:11:44,039 the sourcing cost management, reinvest, 303 00:11:44,740 --> 00:11:47,639 the savings in patient care, and expand access 304 00:11:47,700 --> 00:11:51,000 across Northeast Ohio. So I say the biggest 305 00:11:51,059 --> 00:11:52,519 headwind is capacity. 306 00:11:53,834 --> 00:11:57,034 Think of health care as evolving rapidly. And 307 00:11:57,034 --> 00:12:00,654 so AI and automation are starting to reshape 308 00:12:01,434 --> 00:12:02,814 us, the forecasting, 309 00:12:03,194 --> 00:12:04,334 the sourcing intelligence, 310 00:12:04,875 --> 00:12:06,414 the workflows. And so 311 00:12:06,794 --> 00:12:08,254 the challenge is adopting 312 00:12:09,149 --> 00:12:12,049 innovation in a way that strengthens, not distracts 313 00:12:12,750 --> 00:12:15,730 from our mission, and then assuring also 314 00:12:16,190 --> 00:12:17,329 that our teams, 315 00:12:18,269 --> 00:12:21,169 are properly equipped to manage the changes, 316 00:12:22,029 --> 00:12:23,329 that are on the horizon. 317 00:12:24,205 --> 00:12:24,705 So 318 00:12:25,085 --> 00:12:27,424 keeping that balance act of running, 319 00:12:28,044 --> 00:12:29,345 at the right pace, 320 00:12:30,125 --> 00:12:31,024 of transformation 321 00:12:31,485 --> 00:12:31,985 without, 322 00:12:32,445 --> 00:12:35,965 causing burnout is something that, would usually keep 323 00:12:35,965 --> 00:12:37,024 me up at night. 324 00:12:37,990 --> 00:12:40,149 It's a delicate balance to be sure, Joseph, 325 00:12:40,149 --> 00:12:42,629 and one that, any number of your colleagues 326 00:12:42,629 --> 00:12:44,790 in in health care are facing too. I'm 327 00:12:44,790 --> 00:12:46,149 sure they can relate to this when they 328 00:12:46,149 --> 00:12:47,830 listen to that, and, you know, you guys 329 00:12:47,830 --> 00:12:50,470 can exchange ideas beyond what you're sharing with 330 00:12:50,470 --> 00:12:52,394 us here. But while we are here, 331 00:12:53,115 --> 00:12:55,195 I am curious. So when you look at 332 00:12:55,195 --> 00:12:56,875 all these things that you just laid out 333 00:12:56,875 --> 00:12:59,595 for us coming for App Engine 2026, 334 00:12:59,595 --> 00:13:01,514 and it's a lot. And I'm sure you're 335 00:13:01,514 --> 00:13:03,754 looking forward to all of it. When I 336 00:13:03,754 --> 00:13:05,855 ask this question, it doesn't have to be, 337 00:13:06,570 --> 00:13:08,809 a downer. Let's just say that. But what 338 00:13:08,809 --> 00:13:10,170 do you think is gonna be the hardest 339 00:13:10,170 --> 00:13:11,850 thing you'll have to do, the toughest thing? 340 00:13:11,850 --> 00:13:13,690 It could be also thing you're most looking 341 00:13:13,690 --> 00:13:16,009 forward to, but, you know, it's gonna be 342 00:13:16,250 --> 00:13:17,610 gonna take a lot of work. Let's put 343 00:13:17,610 --> 00:13:18,730 it that way. So what what would you 344 00:13:18,730 --> 00:13:19,870 put into that category? 345 00:13:20,454 --> 00:13:22,294 Yeah. I think going back to that earlier 346 00:13:22,294 --> 00:13:22,774 point, 347 00:13:23,334 --> 00:13:24,475 managing the pace 348 00:13:24,855 --> 00:13:25,595 of transformation 349 00:13:26,054 --> 00:13:26,554 while 350 00:13:27,095 --> 00:13:29,195 protecting our team's well-being 351 00:13:29,975 --> 00:13:31,754 and staying mission focused. 352 00:13:33,095 --> 00:13:33,834 As we 353 00:13:34,259 --> 00:13:37,240 modernize the systems and redesign processes 354 00:13:37,620 --> 00:13:38,120 and 355 00:13:38,660 --> 00:13:41,800 expand our strategic thinking, our role, 356 00:13:42,340 --> 00:13:44,120 preparing for all these technological 357 00:13:44,660 --> 00:13:45,160 shifts, 358 00:13:45,940 --> 00:13:47,960 we gotta maintain daily operations, 359 00:13:48,615 --> 00:13:52,054 right, that clinicians depend on. And at the 360 00:13:52,054 --> 00:13:53,754 same time, AI and, 361 00:13:54,134 --> 00:13:56,394 advanced analytics are starting to transform, 362 00:13:57,014 --> 00:13:59,975 from predictive to sourcing intelligence and automation. So 363 00:13:59,975 --> 00:14:00,809 that challenge 364 00:14:01,190 --> 00:14:01,850 is introducing 365 00:14:02,550 --> 00:14:05,129 that level of innovation in a way that 366 00:14:05,670 --> 00:14:08,809 empowers people rather than overwhelms them. 367 00:14:09,350 --> 00:14:10,170 That means 368 00:14:10,790 --> 00:14:12,570 pacing change thoughtfully, 369 00:14:13,695 --> 00:14:14,195 providing 370 00:14:14,575 --> 00:14:16,434 strong training and support, 371 00:14:16,735 --> 00:14:18,434 and being very clear, 372 00:14:19,295 --> 00:14:21,075 which helps my background 373 00:14:21,535 --> 00:14:22,274 to regularly 374 00:14:22,815 --> 00:14:23,315 explain 375 00:14:23,695 --> 00:14:24,355 the why, 376 00:14:24,894 --> 00:14:28,480 which is always gives caregivers more time with 377 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,860 patients and ensures reliable care for kids. So 378 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:33,680 tie it back to the mission. Tie it 379 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:35,540 back to why of why we are doing, 380 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:38,414 what we're doing to, you know, really 381 00:14:38,815 --> 00:14:41,454 bring value to the organization and, ultimately, as 382 00:14:41,454 --> 00:14:44,355 a organization, bring value to the community. 383 00:14:45,615 --> 00:14:47,954 Yeah. Explaining the why certainly is 384 00:14:48,574 --> 00:14:51,214 among this generation of leaders, Becker has found 385 00:14:51,214 --> 00:14:52,514 that that's very important. 386 00:14:52,959 --> 00:14:54,399 And, you know, not to say there wasn't 387 00:14:54,399 --> 00:14:56,240 before, but it it definitely just seems to 388 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:57,860 be more at the forefront now, 389 00:14:58,240 --> 00:14:59,940 in a in a positive way, certainly. 390 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:03,379 Joseph, last thing I wanna ask you is 391 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:07,575 also future oriented here. So you mentioned, again, 392 00:15:07,575 --> 00:15:09,174 some of the projects you've got going on, 393 00:15:09,174 --> 00:15:11,575 including the new control tower, you know, and 394 00:15:11,575 --> 00:15:13,975 other initiatives you have going. So where do 395 00:15:13,975 --> 00:15:16,455 you see the best opportunities for growth as 396 00:15:16,455 --> 00:15:18,235 far as African children is concerned? 397 00:15:18,549 --> 00:15:19,990 And you can look at that in a 398 00:15:19,990 --> 00:15:22,870 year, five years, whatever timeline, you think fits 399 00:15:22,870 --> 00:15:23,370 best. 400 00:15:23,910 --> 00:15:26,809 Well, it's pretty neat to see that intersection. 401 00:15:27,509 --> 00:15:29,690 An intersection of clinical integration, 402 00:15:30,965 --> 00:15:33,785 operational excellence, and community outreach. 403 00:15:34,404 --> 00:15:35,785 So as that intersects, 404 00:15:36,644 --> 00:15:38,825 you know, it's important for us to embed, 405 00:15:39,684 --> 00:15:42,965 supply chain expertise into clinical operations and vice 406 00:15:42,965 --> 00:15:43,465 versa. 407 00:15:44,325 --> 00:15:45,304 As we've had 408 00:15:46,330 --> 00:15:46,910 a clinical, 409 00:15:47,450 --> 00:15:50,110 leader join our team to help with implementation. 410 00:15:51,049 --> 00:15:52,110 By doing that, 411 00:15:52,570 --> 00:15:55,629 we reduce variation and manage costs responsibly, 412 00:15:56,009 --> 00:15:59,049 right, and free up clinicians to focus again 413 00:15:59,049 --> 00:16:01,070 on that patient care. The operational 414 00:16:01,514 --> 00:16:03,455 strength creates the capacity 415 00:16:03,835 --> 00:16:04,575 to grow. 416 00:16:04,955 --> 00:16:07,855 That's why that talent development is so imperative. 417 00:16:08,075 --> 00:16:11,115 So opportunities for growth beyond our walls, there's 418 00:16:11,115 --> 00:16:13,289 a tremendous opportunity to expand outreach 419 00:16:13,769 --> 00:16:14,909 into more communities 420 00:16:15,449 --> 00:16:18,909 and bring services closer to where families live. 421 00:16:19,449 --> 00:16:20,669 Whether it's supporting 422 00:16:21,449 --> 00:16:21,949 ambulatory 423 00:16:22,409 --> 00:16:22,909 expansions, 424 00:16:24,089 --> 00:16:25,709 school based health, especially 425 00:16:26,169 --> 00:16:27,784 pet pediatric services, 426 00:16:28,164 --> 00:16:31,284 different service lines, or new partnerships. It just 427 00:16:31,284 --> 00:16:32,904 means improving access, 428 00:16:33,924 --> 00:16:37,044 especially for families who might otherwise face barriers 429 00:16:37,044 --> 00:16:37,704 to care. 430 00:16:38,164 --> 00:16:40,184 That is very common for caregivers. 431 00:16:41,204 --> 00:16:41,704 The 432 00:16:42,149 --> 00:16:45,370 challenge of just getting a a nonverbal nonmobile 433 00:16:45,669 --> 00:16:46,169 child 434 00:16:46,629 --> 00:16:48,250 to receive care. 435 00:16:48,949 --> 00:16:52,009 It's a lift just to literally get them 436 00:16:52,149 --> 00:16:52,649 from, 437 00:16:53,190 --> 00:16:56,069 a house to a car. Imagine to do 438 00:16:56,069 --> 00:16:59,154 all of the rest. So, ultimately, our differentiator 439 00:16:59,934 --> 00:17:00,595 is culture. 440 00:17:01,455 --> 00:17:01,955 We 441 00:17:02,414 --> 00:17:05,375 really feel strongly about humility, work ethic, and 442 00:17:05,375 --> 00:17:08,174 kindness, and that really is a foundation that 443 00:17:08,174 --> 00:17:11,315 allows us to scale thoughtfully while staying grounded 444 00:17:11,375 --> 00:17:12,515 in why we exist, 445 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:15,160 which going back to our mission is improving 446 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:18,380 the health of children, families across our communities. 447 00:17:19,319 --> 00:17:20,619 Very special place, 448 00:17:21,319 --> 00:17:24,200 and very blessed to to have my role 449 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:24,700 here. 450 00:17:25,285 --> 00:17:27,125 Well, Joseph, thank you so much for joining 451 00:17:27,125 --> 00:17:30,025 our podcast and giving our audience a great 452 00:17:30,404 --> 00:17:31,785 background of of where 453 00:17:32,565 --> 00:17:35,365 Akron Children's has been for over a hundred 454 00:17:35,365 --> 00:17:36,884 years well, over a hundred years and where 455 00:17:36,884 --> 00:17:38,484 it's gonna be going in in the next, 456 00:17:38,724 --> 00:17:41,240 foreseeable future here. Yeah. We're gonna see you 457 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:42,919 coming up at a conference, which we can't 458 00:17:42,919 --> 00:17:45,319 wait for, and, hopefully, this is definitely not 459 00:17:45,319 --> 00:17:46,460 the last time we connect. 460 00:17:47,319 --> 00:17:49,159 Thanks so much for the time, Chris. Great 461 00:17:49,159 --> 00:17:49,740 to connect.