Direct Line from Max Buetow for 5/17/2024

May 17, 2024

A significant step forward for The Alliance for Healthcare Education

We received some great news last week in our efforts to expand health care education: As the legislative process concludes today, we are grateful for incredible state support for The Alliance for Healthcare Education with the inclusion of $15 million in funding for The Alliance in the state budget.

As we come together with Missouri State University, Springfield Public Schools and Ozarks Technical Community College, there is so much we are able to accomplish with our combined strength. Ultimately, though, the magnitude of this project will require some additional support. We are incredibly thankful for leaders like Sen. Lincoln Hough and Rep. Cody Smith, as well as our local delegation in the Senate and the House who see the vision of The Alliance.

There is something powerful about people who are willing to have skin in the game and put their names alongside the work we are doing. Sen. Hough and Rep. Smith are continually put in positions where they must make tough calls for the greater good. We count it as a huge vote of confidence that The Alliance has garnered their support.

We know that to whom much is given, much is expected. It energizes us to make sure we are exceeding all of the expectations and promises we have made on what The Alliance can be.

Throughout this process, I have been especially proud of Teresa Coyan, our Chief of Staff and VP of Governmental Relations. She has gone to extraordinary lengths to connect people to the vision of The Alliance and to build confidence in the project. A good portion of what we have been able to accomplish is due to Teresa’s efforts, her relationships and her reputation.

Teresa is quick to remind us that this project has been a team effort, pointing out the work of others, including MSU Executive Vice president Zora Mulligan, who has built so many strong relationships at the state level during her time as commissioner of higher education. She is well respected and her voice carries a great deal of weight in the capitol.

We have also appreciated that the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce made The Alliance one of their top legislative priorities. Special thanks to Lauren Mustoe, VP of Public Affairs, and Chamber President Matt Morrow who have been strong proponents, articulating the broad community support for the project as they visit the capitol.

And, of course, a big “thank you” to all of the executive leadership of the partners in The Alliance, for finding ways to share updates and progress reports on the project. Drs. Hal Higdon and Grenita Lathan and MSU President Clif Smart have been vocal about The Alliance’s promise with every opportunity they have had. Their voices and leadership have sent a powerful message with our legislative leaders.

It is an exciting time in our journey, and it is worth pausing to thank those who have gotten us to this point.

We are encouraged by the support at the state level, and we are eager for the next steps as we continue to expand the health care workforce pipeline and make the dream of The Alliance a reality.

Accreditation visit reinforces the great work we do supporting the CoxHealth Family Medicine Residency

I don’t often get to speak with surveyors from accrediting bodies, but when I do, I am pleasantly reminded of how well we are performing.

This week, I spoke with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, whose representatives were visiting with the CoxHealth Family Medicine Residency. They were looking closely at how the organization supports the residency and working to confirm that CoxHealth continues to be a good host for an academic site.

CoxHealth has been an accredited sponsoring institution since 1987, and this week’s visit was a check to recertify and revalidate the work we do.

I am proud to say that we continue to perform at a high level across the board in how we support the residency.

The surveyor I met with was so exuberant about how incredible the residency program is and how much integration and support the residency and the health system offer each other. He told me that we have best practice here, and we are demonstrating our understanding of the true value that a residency can provide to a health system and the community.

“We do a phenomenal job supporting the residency,” says Dr. Shawn Usery, CoxHealth’s System Chief Medical Officer. “They spoke with cross sections of residents and faculty across the organization, and at every turn we are exceeding expectations. As we think about the future, knowing that we sponsor residencies well puts us in a great position.”

I am very proud of everyone at the residency who has put in the work to make the visit successful. Specifically, leaders like Program Administrator Rhonda Robinson, who goes above and beyond in her leadership at the residency, and Dr. Shelby Hahn, program director. I feel very fortunate to call them and so many colleagues at the residency close friends.

It has always been a great pleasure for me to be part of the residency culture – when I spoke to ACGME, it felt like hearing someone bragging about your family. My thanks to the entire residency team and our CoxHealth teams who do such a great job in this mutually beneficial partnership!

Celebrating our colleagues for Employee Appreciation Day

I got to carry on one of my favorite traditions this week, serving employee appreciation meals overnight in our cafeterias for National Hospital Week!

My overnight duties started back when I was paying my dues as a new leader. It became obvious to me early on that overnights are a special time to interact with colleagues I may not get to see very often.

We have had some great and quirky moments in overnights – and it takes me back to working at Sara Lee: food, nights and hairnets!

This week, we served more than 350 of our colleagues, and the meal was a rare chance to interact in a casual environment.

It is important to celebrate our successes throughout the year. We run 24/7/365, and there is no stopping point where we say “when we get to the end, we celebrate.”

We have to pause to have a meal, share a handshake or a hug, and look each other in the eye and say thank you. And it is amazing to me the number of times that I am sharing that sentiment with our employees and they are telling me the same thing.

It is great to be in a community that supports and respects one another. I know the work within a health care system is not easy, and our colleagues deserve to know just how valued they are.

Thank you to all who have made this week special! A special shoutout to my friends James, Mike, Tabitha, and Marcus, who go above and beyond every evening to serve great meals and share smiles with our overnight teams. This is a special group, and they made a late-night event a lot of fun for me! And, I want to thank System Events Coordinator Erik Kiser, who works tirelessly to make these events possible for all of our teams.

I also recommend checking out CoxHealth on LinkedIn for some fantastic stories that highlight the hearts of our employees and our culture.

Voice of the patient

Adapted from patient feedback at Cox Branson: “Everyone was polite and cheerful. Always asked my permission. No one ever acted as if I was a bother. Nursing, housekeeping, respiratory and lab. Good people!”

Thank you for all you do,

Max