Kenny Pawlek serves as Chief Operating Officer for USC Verdugo Hills Hospital.
On April 6th, Kenny will give a presentation on "Less Meetings, Better Communication and Execution - Improving Quality and Problem Resolution With Tiered Huddles (USC Verdugo Hills Hospital Part of Keck Medicine of USC)" at Becker's Hospital Review 11th 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 on April 6-9, 2020 in Chicago.
To learn more about the conference and Kenny's session, click here.
Question: How can hospitals reconcile the need to maintain inpatient volumes with the mission to keep people healthier and out of the hospital?
Kenny Pawlek: This is a huge problem for acute care hospitals. We need to acknowledge the reality that inpatient care will continue to decline as new technologies and medical practices are developed. Becoming the community hub for health information and care, whether it be preventative education, clinical care, or addressing social needs, is our responsibility and will help us maintain relevancy.
Q: What's one lesson you learned early in your career that has helped you lead in healthcare?
KP: Early in my career I learned to be curious. It has made a huge impact during my transition into healthcare and helped me have an effective partnership with my physician colleagues. As physicians, they appreciate someone who engages in the clinical care processes in a deeper way to understand why and how disease occurs.
Q: Where do you go for inspiration and fresh ideas?
KP: I read extensively and look to other industries. We often feel that healthcare problems are unique. However, they are usually similar to issues that other industries have already worked on for many years. Bringing those practices to our industry can help accelerate change.
Where do you go for inspiration and fresh ideas? Beckers, of course! In all seriousness, the conference speakers are the best in the industry and the sessions are relevant to leaders in hospitals both large and small. And I don't have to look any further than my inbox daily for the most recent healthcare news and best practices.
What do you see as the most exciting opportunity in healthcare right now? The most exciting opportunity in healthcare today is the move to value-driven care with the patient at the center focusing on wellness and prevention instead of treating signs and symptoms with volume-driven sick visits and hospitalizations. Accountable care, the merit-based incentive payment system (MIPS) and value-based payment programs are driving providers from volume to value-based care with incentives to reward both the physician and the patient!
Healthcare has had calls for disruption, innovation and transformation for years now. Do you feel we are seeing that change? Why or why not? Yes, hospitals that are driving change and transformation are receiving high marks in quality and patient-satisfaction. They are investing in technology to coordinate care and making access easier for their patients. At the same time, they are educating and preparing their workforce to be responsive to innovative change. The age of volume-driven fee-for-service medicine is gradually giving way to value-based care. Hospitals must transform to become organizations that reward value instead of volume and develop delivery methods that use evidence-based practices, procedures and technologies to attain optimal outcomes and achieve greater efficiencies. Many primary care providers have heard the call for value and are joining ACO's and working to meet this demand. Sadly hospitals that haven’t transformed to ensure the highest quality patient-centered care and the most competitive prices are being bypassed by the primary care physicians, the patients and the payers. "