Q: Where do you see yourself in five years, 10 years?
A: It’s funny you ask that question, as that is the question I always ask people I’m interviewing. My answer to that is not always as concrete as others’ answers.
I look at what doors might open, and I look at what opportunities present themselves. I think, looking at opportunities like we have in hospital medicine and looking at opportunities to really expand beyond current state, many of my experiences have led me to realize that I like to be involved in improvements, change in evolving the healthcare industry, and bringing teams together to improve the status quo.
Q: You work with some 900 hospitalists. What’s your favorite thing about working with them and the role they play?
A: Every single hospitalist I’ve encountered has demonstrated such a strong desire to make improvements in the patients that they’re caring for. What’s great about hospitalists is that they have an innate desire to improve the health and well-being of our communities. Hospitalists are truly passionate about improving the way we care for patients, advancing quality outcomes, and leading the shift from volume to value for the communities we serve. For me, this role is not simply a task or a job that I do, but it really is a passion.
Q: The flip side of that is nobody’s job is perfect. What’s the toughest thing about working with hospitalists?
A: One of the toughest things in this particular industry is the fact that it has been the fastest growing of all of time [in medicine], and there are times when supply and demand are not well balanced. There are a lot of demands placed on hospitalists, and there are a lot of expectations by hospital leaders and health system leaders, that hospitalists can solve many of the problems that may exist. Because of that, sometimes the supply of hospitalists, or the ability to have top talent, is really challenging.
The balance is not yet perfect between the availability of top talent and the ability to meet the needs of the organization and community.
Richard Quinn is a freelance writer in New Jersey.