Chris Holden, AmSurg president and chief executive officer, recently spoke to members of Leadership Health Care about the values that help shape a successful business and health care executive.
With more than 240 centers in operation, AmSurg is the nation’s largest developer and operator of ambulatory surgery centers. Holden first told the story of AmSurg’s growth from an entrepreneurial dream to its place as one of thirteen publicly-traded companies in Nashville today. AmSurg’s foundation is built on the core value of trust, and the company prides itself on maintaining a physician-centric culture. AmSurg has consistently led its competition in physician satisfaction and considers it a key to the company’s strategy and success.
Holden also spoke of the rising importance of transparency in the health care industry today. He urged that health care executives find a way to bring transparency to the customer.
To the audience of emerging leaders in the room, Holden shared advice – some serious, some humorous — given to him that fundamentally shaped his own leadership style. The theme of trust and integrity rang through all of these sentiments.
“We sell trust. If lost, it’s hard to get it back.”
“90 percent of solving a problem is defining it first.”
“The most important thing is that you are proud of what you see in the mirror.”
The discussion with Chris Holden is part of ongoing programming for the Council’s Leadership Health Care initiative, offering members insight from national industry leaders in an interactive setting. For more information about Leadership Health Care, visit www.leadershiphealthcare.com.
About Chris Holden
Chris Holden joined AmSurg in October 2007 as president, chief executive officer and director. Holden is a health care industry veteran of more than 24 years, engaged during most of his career directly in multi-facility and multi-market health care management. Prior to joining AmSurg, Holden served as senior vice president and division president of Triad Hospitals, Inc., of which he was a founding team member and officer. From August 1994 until May 1999, Holden held several officer positions with Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation.