As president and CEO of Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Erlanger Health System, Kevin Spiegel oversees the tenth largest public health system in the U.S.
Erlanger encompasses five hospitals, including the region's sole Level I adult and pediatric trauma center, five air ambulances, six emergency departments and one of 
the nation's largest regional comprehensive stroke programs.
Mr. Spiegel joined Erlanger in April 2013. Previously, he served for five years as CEO of Methodist University Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., where he also worked as an assistant professor in the College of Medicine. He continues to fill that role today. Among other previous roles, Mr. Spiegel held the titles of president and CEO of Trumbull Memorial Hospital in Warren, Ohio, and COO of Southampton (N.Y.) Hospital.
On Monday, April 17 at 12:35 p.m., Mr. Spiegel, along with Erlanger CFO Britt Tabor, will deliver a presentation called "Climbing out of the red: Setting sights on both the top and bottom line."
To learn more about the conference and Mr. Spiegel's presentation, click here.
Here, Mr. Spiegel took the time to answer Becker's four questions.
Question: What's the biggest challenge Erlanger is currently facing?
Kevin Spiegel: The greatest challenge is managing our overall growth. Our net patient revenue has grown by over 15 percent annually for the past two years. During the past year we opened a new 107-bed community hospital, a comprehensive Orthopaedic Institute with six operating rooms, 12 post-operative beds and 50 contiguous beds. Also under construction is a state of the science Heart and Lung Institute with six cath labs, two [electrophysiology] labs, three open heart rooms and a minimally invasive/robotic room with 12 ICUs and 50 contiguous beds. And, this growth is occurring while implementing Epic for all five hospitals and 60 clinics in the Erlanger Health System.
Q: What do you see as the biggest opportunity?
KS: Erlanger Health System's biggest opportunity is aligning with the Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network, comprised of 60 hospitals and 4,000 physicians, to meaningfully address population health by improving patient care outcomes while lowering the cost of delivering care.
Q: How do you maintain optimism and engagement among staff despite the tumultuous and uncertain future of healthcare reform?
KS: First and foremost, I frequently communicate with our employees and physicians in an open and transparent manner. During uncertain times, it is essential to keep employees informed and the team focused on strategy, mission, vision and innovation. I believe uncertainty is our friend and you need to remain flexible and strategic each and every day. As the leader of the health system, it is important that I approach each day with a positive and optimistic outlook.
Q: What is the "top" line, and why is it important for health system finance leaders to focus on it in addition to the bottom line?
KS: The uncertainty of the healthcare market, the complex regulatory environment, the fast-paced change in technology coupled with the pressures on expense management necessitate "top" line growth in net patient revenue. Quite simply, without growth, one cannot sustain the business. Everything matters. Driving efficiency, quality and top line growth in a flat market must be a focused effort of the C-suite each and every day. We must reinvent ourselves, be creative and strategic to meet the growing demands of our aging population.