Today’s speaker for our Healthcare speaker series was Joseph “Joe” Rafferty, CEO of Health Bridge Children’s Hospital in Houston. Colonel Garner had told us that he would be the youngest CEO we’ve had and that was absolutely true, by far. He’s in his 30s which is extremely impressive. What’s even more impressive is the way he turned the facility around when he came into the job. Before he got there, the CEO had been changing every 12-18 months, the hospital was constantly losing money, and the quality of care being given was very poor. Mr. Rafferty made a joke that he has been the CEO for a little over two years, which is longer than anyone else in the history of the place.
While his presentations skills could use a little improvement, Mr. Rafferty’s accomplishments are very impressive and there are several things I took away from his presentation:
- Healthcare is in a constant state of reform, regardless of who the president is
- When you’re the boss, make sure the people you bring on board are revenue-generating
- When building the foundation: hire the right people, train them, mentor them
- Hire for work ethic and attitude
- Show each employee you care
- Lead by example and put the time in
He also gave us 3 keys to success:
- Be OK not knowing the answers
- Be flexible! Think visibility
- Key skills: communication and negotiation
All in all, another great speaker.