Hospital and health system leaders are embracing collaboration — both across teams and through mentorship — to improve performance and team engagement.
Becker’s connected with seven healthcare executives to learn about the strategies and mindset shifts they have adopted from a peer in the past six months. From listening at scale to deferring to expertise, these approaches are driving stronger integration, resilience and cultural alignment.
Ruth Bash. Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer at Inspira Health (Mullica Hill, N.J.): One notable mindset shift for me is away from patient experience and employee experience as two unique and disparate concepts. It’s time to eliminate the silos and consider the human experience in healthcare. What does it feel like to cross our threshold, virtual or actual, whether you are a patient, a visitor, a team member, a provider, or a vendor? Guided by our mission, vision, and values, it is about every interaction every time. Wrapping our arms around our caregivers so they can wrap their arms around the people they care for. If we can do that, we might just make this world a better place.
Soniya Gandhi, MD. Associate Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles): In speaking with a colleague, I was reminded of the power of the pivot, especially in today’s dynamic healthcare landscape. It was a reminder of the importance of remaining adaptable in the face of constant turbulence. The ability to navigate this turbulence and quickly shift priorities is imperative for leaders today who must remain nimble while guiding their teams through these changes.
Martha Henley. CEO of Unity Medical Center (Manchester, Tenn.): As CEO of Unity Medical Center, I recently adopted a strategy shared by a fellow rural health leader centered on “relational rounding.” This concept means intentional, consistent rounding with staff to build connection and trust, not just gather feedback. Inspired by this peer’s success, we implemented structured twice daily leadership rounds. These rounds are shared across our leadership team to ensure consistency and presence, even when I’m not personally on site.
This shift deepened our understanding of operational realities, boosted team morale and uncovered opportunities or concerns that may not surface in formal meetings. It has also improved decision-making by grounding our strategies in front-line insight. What started as a mindset shift for me has become a cultural expectation across our leadership team by showing up, listening and engaging in ways that build trust and accountability. This practice reinforces the importance of visible and present leadership that actively supports both staff and patients, especially in a rural hospital, where every role is critical.
Scott Madden. COO of Physician and Provider Network at Independence Health System (Butler, Pa.): As we continue integrating our five hospitals and 7,300 employees into one unified system at Independence Health System, it’s important to remember that we’re all working toward the same goal: to provide expert care in and for the communities we serve. During times of change, it’s natural that not everyone knows what others are working on, even when we’re on the same team. That’s why we encourage everyone to assume good intentions, over communicate, and share information in all directions.
Bridget Marzette-Bender. Vice President of Experience & Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging at Mercy (Chesterfield, Mo.): One specific and actionable mindset shift I’ve adopted in the past six months is the discipline of listening at scale with the intent to act. Through our work on the employee engagement Voice of the Caregiver (VOC) initiative, we transitioned from episodic, surface-level feedback to a robust, semi-annual research model that blends quantitative and qualitative insights from over 50,000 caregivers. This shift taught me to treat feedback not as a report card, but as a strategic asset. The framing of the VOC as a “strategic voice” helped me see that listening is only powerful when it’s paired with accountability and action. We used this mindset to evolve our approach — from a five-question pulse to a 15-question survey that now captures nuanced themes like psychological safety, peer relationships, and organizational fit.
As a result, I now approach decision-making with a deeper commitment to evidence-based science. I’ve become more intentional about asking: “What are caregivers telling us — explicitly and implicitly — and how do we design for that?” This has influenced how I shape operational strategy, how I coach leaders, and how I advocate for systemic change. It’s no longer about what we think caregivers need — it’s about what they’ve told us, and what we’re willing to do to drive meaningful change and optimization.
Stephanie Meier. Assistant Vice President of Operations at Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.): One strategy I’ve adopted from one of my mentees is having a growth mindset and to embrace change. We are living in a VUCA world — it’s a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment in healthcare, and change is inevitable. For us at Northwell, this year marks an important transition for the first wave of our hospitals and practices onto Epic, as well as the retirement of our legendary CEO, Michael Dowling. Having a growth mindset altered how much I viewed change as an opportunity for growth and development.
Gail Vozzella, DNP, RN. Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive at Houston Methodist: A colleague gave me great advice regarding decision making in today’s healthcare environment. First, defer to expertise. Our hospital environments are incredibly complex. Surrounding myself with a team of lots of talented individuals is incredibly important in making the best decision. Second, be decisive. Do not get lost in finding the perfect solution. Third, once a decision is made, communicate the “why” before making a change. Others will adopt it if everyone understands the reason for the change.
