Elissa Charbonneau, DO, MS, serves as Chief Medical Officer at Encompass Health Corporation (FKA HealthSouth).
Dr. Charbonneau will be serving on the panel "Big Ideas and Where the Health System's Responsibility Begins and Ends" at Becker's Hospital Review 12th 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 in Chicago from April 25-28, 2022.
To learn more about the conference and Dr. Charbonneau's session, click here.
Question: How do you plan to pivot strategies this year to better serve patients?
Elissa Charbonneau: In 2021, we were focused on COVID-19 and making sure our infection control processes were in line with CDC recommendations. Hopefully, as this year unfolds, we can pivot our attention from the focus on infection control to some of our other quality outcome projects, such as fall prevention, social determinants of health and pain management.
Q: What technologies and innovations are you most excited about in healthcare right now?
EC: We are excited about our collaboration with Cerner’s Innovation Center to design predictive algorithms to improve patient care. We have also expanded the use of telehealth in our setting and hope to continue to utilize or expand this service to better meet the needs of our patients.
Q: What will the lasting legacy of COVID-19 be on the healthcare system?
EC: COVID-19 has left a legacy of frontline caregivers leaving the medical field due to burnout or decisions to retire early. This immediate shortage in nurses and physicians, especially in certain areas of the country, has highlighted the need for enhanced recruitment and retention strategies for healthcare workers across the continuum of care.
Q: What advice do you have for emerging healthcare leaders today?
EC: My advice for emerging healthcare leaders is to maintain a sense of hope and optimism with your teams, think outside the box and most importantly — always communicate with openness and compassion.