Mr. Perry adopted this method — which includes a set of strategic questions — from “The First 90 Days” by Michael Watkins.
“I engage both leaders and stakeholders in one-on-one meetings, and that helps me gain valuable insights into organizational history, its successes, the challenges and opportunities,” Mr. Perry told Becker’s. “That process helps me to adapt my leadership style to align with the dynamic needs of the organization and foster deeper understanding of the culture here.”
Mr. Perry joined the hospital, part of Brentwood, Tenn.-based Lifepoint Health, on Jan. 6. Since stepping into the role, he has identified three key priorities: fostering a strong culture, maintaining a commitment to excellence and quality care, and deepening community relationships.
Strengthening culture and quality
A positive and empowering culture is the foundation of exceptional patient care, Mr. Perry said. His focus is on open communication, staff recognition and professional development.
“I’m a firm believer in being present, engaging in frequent rounding throughout the hospital, our outpatient facilities and clinics,” he said. “It’s not only a great thing to do, but I believe it is essential to cultivating a strong culture.”
Quality care is another area of focus. The hospital has achieved zero hospital-acquired infections for two consecutive years across the board, including central line-associated bloodstream infections and catheter-associated urinary tract infections. Mr. Perry is committed to sustaining and building on that success.
“My leadership team and I are focused on continuous improvement, leveraging data and best practices to ensure we’re not only meeting but exceeding national standards moving forward,” he said. “We’ll continue to invest in cutting-edge technologies and training protocols to drive operational excellence across all the quality and clinical areas.”
In building strong relationships, the hospital also maintains a patient-family advisory council, which provides feedback from former patients, family members and community stakeholders.
Strategic growth for 2025
Looking ahead, Mr. Perry and his team are focused on expanding access to primary care services by bringing in new physicians and ensuring patients have consistent, comprehensive and preventive care.
Orthopedic care is another area of focus. The hospital plans to open a new bone and joint clinic in spring 2025, expanding capacity and improving quality of care for orthopedic patients.
Additionally, Southern Tennessee Regional Health System-Lawrenceburg saw a nearly 40% increase in births from 2023 to 2024. To support continued growth, the hospital is launching a women’s clinic to expand maternity and women’s health services.
