Ms. McDermott will serve on the panel “Top Priorities for Payer Executives Today” at Becker’s Payer Issues Roundtable. As part of an ongoing series, Becker’s is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference on Nov. 7-8 in Chicago.
To learn more and register, click here.
Becker’s Healthcare aims to foster peer-to-peer conversation between healthcare’s brightest leaders and thinkers. In that vein, responses to our Speaker Series are published straight from interviewees. Here is what our speaker had to say.
Question: What is the smartest thing you’ve done in the last year to set your system up for success?
Gracelyn McDermott: The smartest action I’ve taken this past year is to invest time and resources in our people. Healthcare is quickly evolving, and we face new and ongoing threats — from COVID-19 to monkeypox. In order to thrive in this challenging environment, our employees must feel supported, empowered and collaborative. Our decision to invest strongly in our workforce helps attract great employees, keeps everyone aligned on our mission and goals, and helps us prepare for the future.
Q: What are you most excited about right now and what makes you nervous?
GM: I am so excited that Kaiser Permanente successfully opened three new facilities throughout our region this year (with one more planned to open in November). We view these buildings as an investment in our growing membership. These state-of-the-art buildings will provide more space for more people to take advantage of our unique, integrated model and high-quality care. While there are many reasons for excitement in our region, healthcare remains unpredictable. This makes me nervous, but I know our strong team is well-prepared to take on the challenges ahead. We will continue to practice flexibility and resilience to meet the needs of our members and the community.
Q: How are you thinking about growth and investments for the next year or two?
GM: I believe that to stimulate growth, we must invest in the foundational elements of what makes us great. At Kaiser Permanente, we prioritize providing the highest quality care for our members. Kaiser Permanente’s Mid-Atlantic region is the only plan in the nation to achieve a rating of 5 out of 5 stars for Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial plans. This recognition sets the health system apart based on patient care, treatment, prevention, and patient experience. We will continue to invest in quality and the member experience across the care continuum. The excellent care members receive will help support retention and growth in the next several years.
Q: What will healthcare executives need to be effective leaders for the next five years?
GM: Great healthcare leaders must demonstrate empathy and understanding for their employees. At Kaiser Permanente, we understand that the past several years COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest placed incalculable stress on our workforce. To help address these pressures, we are enabling different ways of working (including telework) to promote flexibility. We also frequently survey our staff to hear about what is working and what could use improvement. We can create a healthy and productive office environment by asking our workforce questions, listening to their responses, and identifying areas for improvement.
Q: How are you building resilient and diverse teams?
GM: Having a diverse and inclusive workforce makes Kaiser Permanente a better place to receive health care, a better partner in the communities we serve, and a better place to work. Last year, Kaiser Permanente committed to three equity principles that outline the actions and behaviors we must take to create an environment of belonging, trust and mutual respect. These principles state that all Kaiser employees must foster inclusive environments, hold themselves accountable for individual actions or inactions, and advocate for equity and inclusion for all people.
It is my responsibility, and all my colleagues’ responsibility, to make sure that these principles are not just words on a page. We must make a concerted effort to ensure that every leader at our organization is grounded in these principles and empowers their employees to be tireless advocates for inclusion.
