In December, Dr. Foster took the helm at Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center in Windsor, Vt., and Valley Regional Hospital in Claremont, N.H. The two critical access hospitals finalized their affiliation with Dartmouth Health in July after Mt. Ascutney became a member of Dartmouth Health in 2014.
In 2025, Dr. Foster and his team will focus on defining what it means to create that microsystem, or “one community with two campuses,” he told Becker’s. Part of the process involves identifying shared services and integrating operations across the hospitals.
“How do we take these two campuses and make it whole so that we have a shared leadership team and service lines of excellence that cross both campuses?” Dr. Foster said. “We’re divided by the Connecticut River — one hospital is in Vermont and one hospital is in New Hampshire. It’s not lost on me that we literally have to cross a bridge in order to do this. But I think that’s what’s exciting.”
While still in the early stages, the initial focus is on understanding the commonalities between the hospitals.
“They are more common than different,” he said. “I also think it’s important to recognize that each hospital is unique, and we want to preserve the uniqueness and identities of both, rather than just merging them for the sake of merging and losing what makes Mt. Ascutney special and what makes Valley Regional special.”
Keys to leadership transitions
About 90 days into his role, Dr. Foster is prioritizing building relationships and trust with his team and the communities both hospitals serve. For leaders stepping into a new organization, active listening, open-ended questions, challenging one’s assumptions and overcommunication are key, he said.
“It’s also about being visible,” Dr. Foster said. “Take extra time, not just during the day, but on weekends and night shifts, to get to know people, because we’re a 24/7 operation, and people sacrifice a lot in healthcare, both personally and for others.”
New leaders should also avoid feeling like they need to have all the answers.
“Don’t assume that you are the one who has to come with all the solutions,” he said. “As I’ve said to my team, don’t be the chief problem solver. How do we empower people doing the work to come up with solutions without having to ask permission or to think this can’t be done?”
‘Lifelong learning’
Dr. Foster served as a pathologist and called that clinical experience invaluable. Beyond enjoying the hospital environment and its energy, he said it has given him firsthand insight into the challenges physicians face.
“But fundamentally, it’s an intellectual curiosity,” he said. “It’s a lifelong learning. In medicine, everybody has different specialties or skill sets. What I hope I can bring is the perspective of being a practicing physician for 20-plus years, being connected with national leadership in my specialty, and then also being able to respect the differences of opinion and different skill sets that so many people have.”
As part of an academic health system, Dr. Foster aims to set the standard for rural healthcare by improving local access to care.
“Transportation is a challenge. Taking time off work to go for a doctor’s visit is sometimes impossible,” he said. “The more care we can have in our communities, meeting people where they are, ensuring access and affordability, the more successful we will be.”
