Kearstin Patterson, vice president of creative services, HCA Healthcare
What led you to join Leadership Health Care?
Upon moving back to Nashville to take a position with a biotech company, I was new to health care and especially this niche segment of the health care industry. I needed to be a part of a group of industry experts who were willing to network, share their knowledge and collaborate. I found that in Leadership Health Care (LHC) and believe it helped to advance my professional career and provide me insight into a wide variety of industry topics and issues.
What has been the most rewarding part of being a member of Leadership Health Care?
I agree with previous members you have interviewed for this series who have said that being a member of LHC is one of the most important things they have done to further their career in Nashville’s health care industry. That has certainly been true for me. Additionally, I am grateful for all the lasting relationships I have made throughout my tenure with the organization, both personally and professionally.
What is your favorite thing about Nashville?
As one of the few Nashville (almost) natives, I have been a part of all the changes this city has experienced. Even though our city has grown, traffic has gotten slower and prices higher, we still hold true to our southern charm and “small town” personality. The abundance of live music is an added bonus!
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
My mother always said to “know your audience.” Spending most of my career managing communications, public relations and marketing functions, this has been sage advice. From utilizing market research to reach consumers to preparing for a presentation to a room of industry experts, knowing your audience is the most effective way to communicate and engage with them.
What famous business person do you most admire and why?
Is saying Dr. Frist Sr. too obvious? Often regarded as “the father of the modern for-profit hospital system,” I think we can all agree that Dr. Frist innovated one of the oldest industries by taking an idea of hospitality and applying it to health care. This is the true definition of innovation. Dr. Frist once said, “the great hospitals will always put the patients and the patient’s family first, but the really great institutions will provide care with warmth, compassion and dignity for the individual.” This culture still holds true at HCA Healthcare today—nearly 50 years later.
As you think about the future of the health care industry, what is most motivating to you?
We know that health care is behind other industries when it comes to technology (banking is often noted), but we’re seeing a lot of investment in technology that will ideally yield earlier identification and improved access and treatment of patients. For example, the velocity of applied learning resulting from patient record data analysis is astonishing. Analytics is driving innovative solutions that extract, aggregate and interpret an enormous amount of data into actionable information that can be used to improve quality of care and make better-informed decisions. It is exciting to see health organizations driving improvements through data and ensuring that the right patient receives the right care from the right provider at the right time and place.