The healthcare landscape has always been a dynamic and ever-evolving domain, driven by scientific advancements, breakthroughs, and shifting demographics. However, the COVID-19 pandemic that erupted in early 2020 brought about seismic changes, rapidly transforming the way healthcare organizations operate and strategize. In the midst of these challenges, healthcare leaders and professionals had to adapt and recalibrate their strategies to meet the evolving needs of patients, maintain the safety of their staff, and ensure the resilience of their healthcare systems.

In today’s episode, Shawn Nason sits down with Liz Popwell, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer for Stony Brook Medicine. They discuss Liz’s understanding of strategy, the importance of aligning strategy with an organization's mission and vision, and the role of partnerships. Liz also shares how the pandemic shaped their strategic plan and mindset, emphasizing the need to be patient-centric and consumer-centric.

In This Episode

• [04:26] How strategy intersects with the patient, family, and employee experience in healthcare organizations
• [06:08] The importance of aligning mission and vision with external partnerships
• [10:32] How the pandemic has shaped Stony Brook Medicine's strategic plan and mindset
• [11:44] The fortunate position of Stony Brook Medicine with bounced-back volumes and finances, and the anticipation for the new strategic plan
• [13:17] How the pandemic changed Liz’s mind about strategy
• [16:08] Incorporating the patient's voice in serving under-resourced communities at Stony Brook
• [19:03] Making room for the voice of clinicians in the strategic plan
• [21:29] “How might we” statement
• [24:48] The Combustion Questions

What We Learned From Liz Popwell

• Strategy plays a crucial role in making healthcare organizations stand out, and each organization has unique attributes that make them shine.
• A patient-centric approach is essential, considering the patient, family, and employee experience when developing a strategy
• Prioritizing the voice of the patient in decision-making processes is crucial, and organizations can gain valuable insights from market studies, community engagement, and student feedback.
• Transforming the healthcare industry into a people-first business model involves understanding patient needs, improving patient education, fostering collaboration, and leveraging non-traditional partnerships.

Notable Quotes

[02:36] “Strategy for me has always been about differentiation. It's always about how you can make your organization shine compared to other organizations.” 

[04:31] “Ultimately, your strategy is your roadmap to live out your mission and your vision statements for your organization.” 

[13:27] “I think the biggest thing that changed in my mind is I always knew we needed to be patient-centric, consumer-centric. But I didn't realize just how much we needed to double down on that.”

Our Guest

Liz Popwell is the Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at Stony Brook Medicine, responsible for strategic planning, implementation, and business development. With prior experience as Chief Strategy Officer at Ascension Michigan, she improved market share, reduced out-of-network care rates, and fostered numerous transformative partnerships. Liz is a healthcare leader driving strategic success.

Resources & Links

Liz Popwell

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/strategysuccess/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/epopwe01

Shawn Nason

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nasonshawn/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manonfiresocial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/manonfiresocial

Website: https://shawnnason.com/

MOFI: https://www.mofi.co/

The Combustion Chronicles Podcast

Website: https://shawnnason.com/combustion-chronicles-episodes/

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