Oct. 27, 2023

A week of ‘passing the baton’ on major changes at CoxHealth

I’ve mentioned it before, but I really enjoy change and the progress it can bring, and I especially appreciate those moments where you start to see plans enter their next phase. These are pivotal points, where great ideas get a step closer to reality, which makes you even more energized about what comes next.

This was a week of transitions in a few different ways as we continue to move forward with important work for CoxHealth and our community.

On Tuesday, we held the first board meeting for the Alliance for Healthcare Education. I was honored to gather with the other CEOs and meet with the Alliance Operations Council, which includes some of the top operational leaders from all four of our partnering organizations.

The Operations Council is moving the project forward and making things happen. They are the chefs in the kitchen making the meal, and we (the CEOs/board members) are able to offer just a little “seasoning” in our discussions with the group.

As a whole though, the CEOs are appropriately moving to the background of the conversation, and the operations teams are taking a step forward. All four organizations are ready to pass that baton, and we are eager to see the operations teams bring their vision to life.

That is one of the most rewarding aspects of this job. I get to be involved in a lot of groundbreaking work (oftentimes in a small way), but, when it comes time to put the big ideas into action, I get to pass the baton to an incredible group of high-horsepower leaders who take these projects to the next level.

Just two days later, we marked another milestone here at CoxHealth. At our annual board retreat, we celebrated the completion of the first year of our strategic plan.

Key system leaders spoke with the board about our progress, while painting the picture of where we are headed next. As we enter year two, we are talking about the objectives for 2024, and we are also recasting the vision of our next 3-5 years, within the guardrails of the broader strategic plan.

It has been amazing to see how on track we are at the end of year one and to see how the “big picture” gets clearer as we move forward.

In our next phase, we will introduce some new concepts, and we will deepen our commitment to others.

We always want advance on our path of progress, but we have to make sure we have firmly established the most important aspects of the plan before moving on to new areas of focus.

Among the items we will be continuing to mature: our operating model, the use of human-centered design, our work with data analytics, and ongoing workforce development. We have had many great accomplishments in all these areas, but there is always work to be done to continually shore up these key fundamentals.

Looking ahead, we will be putting additional emphasis on our use of technology.

Workforce was the priority of year one, and we know a great complement to workforce development is going to be introducing the right tools that can help reduce our colleagues’ workload, in addition to improving our patients’ care and experiences.

We are hoping by the end of the year to advance some significant ideas on our technological roadmap. There is a symbiotic relationship in the current environment of health care between great people and the best technology.

As our ambition statement makes clear, we will remain an employer of choice by cultivating the best people and teams and equipping them with modern digital capabilities that allow them to do their best work.

I couldn’t be more excited to see these two major projects at their current junctures. Each one of these transitions is an opportunity to reimagine, recreate and ultimately build on the success of what has come before.

I know the operations teams with the Alliance, and our own internal teams working with our strategic plan, are poised to do great things for our community and our region.

And one more transition this week: At our annual Board retreat on Thursday, we marked the transition from Board Chair Rob Fulp to our incoming chair, Dr. Hal Higdon. I am grateful for Rob’s leadership and his significant contributions to the organization, and I am eager to usher in the era of Dr. Higdon’s leadership. I’m going to share a few reflections on this transition in next week’s Direct Line.

Upcoming Virtual Nursing open house

There has been no bigger technological advancement in our recent memory than the launch of our Virtual Care Team, which offers high-tech support to our bedside nurses.

Next week, we are holding a virtual open house for anyone interested in working in our Virtual Care Team Command Center. Interested candidates can join virtually from wherever they are, on their phone or computer, to learn more about these exciting positions and take a virtual tour of the Nursing Command Center.

If you know someone who is interested, they can join on Thursday, Nov. 2, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Save your spot here. Email HR-NurseRecruiters@coxhealth.com with any questions.

Trunk or Treat 2023 at Cox South and Cox Branson

I am very thankful for the opportunity to see our community members and their families for an evening of fun next week as we host our annual Trunk or Treat!

The festivities will be held at Cox South in the Wheeler/Hulston parking garage, and in Branson at Cahill Road. Both events will start at 5 p.m. on Halloween. Join us for some treats (and definitely not tricks).

Speaking from the heart at the Faith in Business Series

The majority of times when I am asked to speak publicly, people want to hear from “Max Buetow, CEO of CoxHealth.” This week, I had the chance to take a more personal approach in a speaking engagement with the Faith in Business Series.

The group gathers business leaders to talk about servant leadership and the role of faith in their lives.

For me, it was a chance to speak as just Max. At Tuesday’s morning’s event, I was able to take off the hat of my role (which I proudly wear) and simply be myself.

Sometimes, when you are called to speak in your role, you feel like you should offer people nuggets of wisdom, or what they expect to hear from a CEO. But many times, the wisdom I have to share comes from areas of struggle in my life and areas where I am trying to do better.

I appreciate the opportunity having this position affords to me, and I appreciate the chance to be vulnerable with an audience of people with whom I share a close connection.

I have told “hot dog buns to CEO” story to every audience. But here, I told it through the lens of faith. That story is much less about professional development and much more about God having his hand over my life.

None of us are our careers or positions; we are far more complex than that. I am regularly reminded that I have a higher calling, and I am proud to work in a community and for an organization where I can stand up and talk about my faith and what it means to me in my daily work.

Voice of the patient

Adapted from a public post on Facebook: “A shout out to our local ER in Branson. It took 30 minutes from the time I stepped into the Urgent Care to the ER room, but once the ball was rolling, they were on top of it. I was ‘fast tracked’ for an immediate life threatening condition. The nurses were fast with all my meds and the doctor was brilliantly on point.”

Thank you for all you do,

Max

Direct Line from Max Buetow for 10/27/2023