Kristi Caldararo, MHA, serves as Administrator of Clinical Services for Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals.
On April 4th, Kristi will speak at Becker's Hospital Review 10th Annual Meeting. As part of an ongoing series, Becker's is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference, which will take place April 1-4, 2019 in Chicago.
To learn more about the conference and Kristi's session, click here.
Question: What do innovators/entrepreneurs from outside healthcare need to better understand about hospital and health system leaders?
Kristi Caldararo: I think there are several industries that healthcare can learn from and vice versa. For innovators outside of healthcare it is important to recognize that the healthcare climate is changing. As an industry, we need to move from “sick care,” where patients show up at a healthcare facility only when they become sick, to “health care” when the appropriate preventive and primary care measures are taken to manage patients proactively upfront and appropriately long term. This is where other innovative industries can help manage populations effectively with the use of telehealth, easy access clinics, healthcare applications, and more.
Q: What one strategic initiative will demand the most of your time and energy in 2019?
KC: One strategic initiative that is at the forefront of my goals in 2019 is patient satisfaction. We have a tremendous amount of data, inpatient and outpatient, related to the patient experience and how we can do better. People come to Jefferson to receive excellent care and because of the amazing experience they have interacting with the clinical teams. The majority of the time, a patient is in the hospital not by choice, but because something bad happened in which they needed to seek medical care. As a healthcare provider, we should do everything in our power to make that patient’s day a little better than how it started out. With continued market consolidation and increased transparency to drive patient decisions, our focus on patient and family experience will be heightened in the years to come.
Q: Can you share some praise with us about people you work with? What does greatness look like to you when it comes to your team?
KC: Transplant is truly a team sport. The multidisciplinary team involvement is not only a regulatory requirement but an operational necessity in order to be successful. I would not be able to effectively run the transplant programs if it were not for the team that makes everything possible. We are all constantly learning from one another and challenging each other to be the best versions of ourselves, professionally and personally. When I am asked what “greatness” looks like when it comes to my team, I think of highly motivated, educated, and engaged individuals that share a common goal and passion so together we can deliver the highest quality of care to our vulnerable patient population.