Darlene Stromstad faced an unusual challenge when she joined Utica, N.Y.-based Mohawk Valley Health System in 2019 as its president and CEO. Plans were underway to develop a replacement hospital, and she was tasked with merging two longtime competing hospitals.
The community was skeptical that the new hospital project would actually happen, Ms. Stromstad told Becker’s.
“We first had to build hope. And then we faced a lot of obstacles along the way: COVID, financial losses and a workforce shortage,” she said. “But you just deal with one obstacle after another. You work through it, stay focused, get people engaged and solidly behind you. And that requires a lot of communication, a lot of face time and a lot of visibility.”
The 373-bed Wynn Hospital opened in 2023. Because the two existing hospitals had different unions, most of their staff did not work in the same facility until the new hospital was completed.
“When they started working together that first day after the move, we understood that we absolutely needed to quickly identify how to be as efficient as possible,” Ms. Stromstad said. “While we tried to build relationships prior to the move, old habits die hard.”
This resulted in inefficiencies. The health system collaborated with a third-party throughout 2024 to quickly identify ways to streamline operations.
“That works if you, as the leader and with your team, recognize you need to put your egos aside and be able to listen to and learn from others,” she said. “You have to be able to analyze your own organization through the eyes of others and make the changes you need to make.”
‘It’s a calling’
Ms. Stromstad plans to retire in late 2025. During her tenure, in addition to opening Wynn Hospital, she oversaw the implementation and upgrades of the Epic EHR across the system and played a pivotal role in expanding Mohawk Valley Health System’s residency program.
“It has been an awesome career,” she said. “Nothing is more meaningful than healthcare.”
She is now working with the board to ensure a smooth transition when the next CEO is selected, she said.
“I’m also mindful that the agenda that I’m setting now should not be mine,” she said. “It should be driven by the people that will be here after I’m gone.”
Ms. Stromstad’s message to the next generation of healthcare leaders is clear: This is a servant leadership role.
“This is not just any other job. It’s a calling,” she said. “You’ve got to show up with energy and navigate the needs of your employees, your medical staff, your patients and your community.”
With more than 40 years of healthcare experience, Ms. Stromstad has found the industry to be cyclical.
“We have our up times, and we have our down times,” she said. “It feels right now we’re having another down time in our industry, and we’re not really sure what the future is going to look like. In the next couple of years, we are not expecting to see a great deal more revenue come into hospitals. We have discussions about tightening our belts, being very focused on doing what we need to do, but to not get reckless with any of the choices we’re making. This is the community’s investment, and we need to be great stewards of that.”
Looking ahead
Despite the changes the industry faces, Ms. Stromstad emphasized that one constant remains: the relationship between patients and their nurses and physicians.
“When you’re sick and in pain, you want to look up at somebody who’s taking care of you with compassion in their eyes. That doesn’t change,” she said. “Regardless of what’s happening in the outside world, you have to make sure that the patients have support from their caregivers.”
Ms. Stromstad also noted that while technological advances are on the horizon, leaders must balance innovation with consistent, visible leadership. She also reflected on the unique demands of leading a health system.
“You’ve got to have humility, but also a thick skin, because you live your life publicly,” Ms. Stromstad said. “You have to be able to deal with constant pressure, because our job is to solve unsolvable problems every day. You have to bring your best self to the organization because people are depending on you — the patients, the employees and the community.”
