Health Ecosystem Leadership Model (HELM™) Podcast Series The Leadership Development Group

Barclay E. Berdan, FACHE is the chief executive officer of Texas Health Resources (THR), a faith-based, nonprofit health system that cares for more patients in North Texas than any other provider. As of 2021, for the seventh consecutive year, Texas Health Resources has placed among the top of Fortune’s list of Best Workplaces in Health Care & Biopharma.™
Barclay became chief executive officer of Texas Health Resources on Sept. 1, 2014, after serving as senior executive vice president and chief operating officer the previous two years. With over 30 years of service at Texas Health Resources, Barclay describes the system’s culture as one of a family where the Mission, Vision, Values and Our Texas Health Promise℠ are woven together and modeled each day in the care of patients and their families. He believes that Texas Health Resources was built on a strong foundation of traditions — faith, quality, compassion, innovation — traditions that will sustain and guide the organization into the future.
In this episode, Tracy interviews Barclay about his experiences leading through the 2014 Ebola outbreak and how those experiences helped shape Texas Health Resource’s response to COVID-19. Tracy and Barclay explore what the post-COVID world of healthcare may look like, as well as important leadership implications for health ecosystem leaders looking to improve health and wellness for their teams, patients, and communities in this new normal.
Barclay Berdan Show Notes

Frontline healthcare workers were heroes long before the pandemic began and will continue to be heroes in the future- it’s important to acknowledge the sacrifices these individuals make to support the health of the communities they serve.
The promise of ‘individuals caring for individuals together’ has been foundational to Texas Health Resources’ philosophy on healthcare and instrumental in their success- this concept applies to patients, communities, and each other.
Through their experience with the Ebola outbreak, THR learned important lessons about crisis in healthcare such as-

Big disruptions are possible- and it’s important to be prepared. Financial sustainability policies allow health systems to focus on taking care of employees and taking care of patients during crisis
Creating an environment where employees feel safe, protected, informed, and valued is fundamental to them being able to take care of patients and communities
Policies and processes must change rapidly during crisis. Creating a task force to take in the latest information, make decisions about if/how/when to respond, and communicate information and decisions outwards is critical
During a pandemic- you quickly move from medical science to social science to political science to science fiction- and back and forth between those. Health systems play an important role in providing clear and concise information that employees, patients, and communities can trust


We are living in a period of rapid medical knowledge expansion. In the future, new knowledge, technology, and science will come together to create a healthcare metamorphosis.


The future vision of healthcare should think of healthcare not as a series of transactions but as the continuum of people’s lives- partnering for a lifetime of health and wellbeing.
To be successful, health ecosystem leaders must focus on building trusting relationships with people, and help them be informed on how to live their best lives.

Stuart Kliman serves as the newly appointed Partner and Head of Building Industry Partner’s newly formed Center of Excellence (CoE) focused on human capital management. Building Industry Partners is the leading private equity firm in the building and construction industry, focused on helping companies create value not just for their customers and shareholders, but for their most critical stakeholder, their employees. In his role Kliman’s primary focus is helping BIP’s portfolio companies and the industry-at-large create “people-first” cultures that reinforce the holistic well-being of employees and their families while at the same time deliver better business performance and bottom-line financial results.
Prior to joining BIP, Kliman was a founder and partner for 25 years at Vantage Partners, a mid-sized consulting and training organization specializing in biopharmaceuticals and healthcare. In addition to helping steer Vantage’s strategic direction and sitting on its management committee, at various times Kliman oversaw several operational functions, including human resources and marketing, and directly drove revenue for the firm.
In this episode Tracy interviews Stu Kliman- consultant to the health ecosystem turned private equity Human Capital COE leader – on the unexpected connection between his current work and enhancing overall health and wellness. Tracy and Stu explore the ever-evolving boundaries of the health industry, Building Industry Partner’s vision for enhancing health and wellness within the building and construction industry, and their belief that investing in people is not only the right thing to do- it’s also a means to achieving organizational and financial success.
Show Notes

Building Industry Partners, a private equity firm focused on the building sector, believes firmly that there is an inextricable link between leadership’s ability to tap into the best in people and the overall success of an organization.
Investing thoughtfully into an organization’s people is the right thing to do in and of itself in terms of helping enhance health and wellness through improving health benefits, increasing individual autonomy, and building financial stability and career resilience of populations. Building Industry Partner’s seeks to prove that in addition to these inherent benefits, investing meaningfully in people is a reliable method for generating world class business results.
Building Industry Partner’s believes there are five key criteria for defining a strong employee value proposition that translates to financial wellness – Financial Security, Career Resilience, Advancement Opportunity, Engagement, and Wellness.
People are the key to unlocking innovations needed to tackle today’s most complex industry challenges such as sustainability, talent attraction and retention, and responding to growing complexity within customer base.
When it comes to enhancing health and wellness, collaboration is the difference maker - both on the front lines in how we interface with individuals and work in teams- and more broadly in how we approach complex challenges facing the country as a whole.

Dr. Jim Dunn, executive vice president and chief people and culture officer for Atrium Health, one of the most comprehensive and highly integrated not-for-profit healthcare systems in the country. As a member of the executive leadership team, Dunn leads teams that focus on the engagement of Atrium Health teammates – from recruitment through retirement – including workforce relations, diversity and inclusion, compensation, benefits, learning and organizational development, teammate health, corporate and community outreach and government relations.
A national expert in culture, diversity and inclusion and the employee experience, Dunn joined Atrium Health in April 2018. Previously, Dunn served as the executive vice president and chief talent officer for Parkland Health and Hospital System in Dallas, Texas. Jim holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and macro-environmental science from Howard University, a master’s degree in business administration from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and a Master of Public Health degree in occupational health from Emory University. Additionally, Jim holds multiple doctoral degrees in education, organizational development and healthcare administration from Emory University, Benedictine University and the Medical University of South Carolina, respectively.
In this episode Tracy interviews Dr. Jim Dunn- executive vice president and chief people and culture officer for Atrium Health – on his leadership philosophy and beliefs around enhancing employee well-being. Tracy and Jim discuss the importance of employee health and well-being within the health ecosystem, and the connection between employee well-being and patient outcomes.  
Jim Dunn Show Notes

Employee well-being, including the well-being of physicians, is vital to the well-being of patients. As caregivers, those who serve on the frontlines of healthcare, are accustomed to working in selfless ways. Physicians and other health system employees must be taught to ‘put their own facemask on first’ to best take care of others.
Solutions relating to employee health and well-being are personal- and never one size fits all. Content and support should be designed on a variety of topics and in a variety of formats to help ensure maximum benefit across a workforce. Offerings should be supplemented with 1:1 manager support and check-ins.
Atrium has train 40,000+ team mates to become ‘compassion champions’ through their Code Lavender program, designed as a response to teammate stress, burnout, and mental health challenges
At the national level it has become a requirement that healthcare organizations, and all organizations, demonstrate that they care about people as people instead of a means to productivity. When considering how to alleviate burnout within their own organizations- health ecosystem leaders should look to making improvements in administrative burden where possible.
The national shortage of healthcare workers is in small and large part due to physical/emotional trauma and burnout. An important role of health ecosystem leaders at the executive level is to take care of those who take care of patients. This care allows frontline healthcare workers to contribute themselves more wholly to their work.
Investing in leadership development is a meaningful lever for creating a culture where teammates can thrive. Health ecosystem leaders must learn how to have authentic supportive discussions, demonstrate connection and vulnerability, and deeply listen to and empower their teams to improve processes and remove frustrations.

About this Episode
Michael J. Dowling is President and Chief Executive Officer of Northwell Health, which delivers world-class clinical care throughout the New York metropolitan area, and the acclaimed author of a number of books including his most recent- “Leading Through a Pandemic: The Inside Story of Humanity, Innovation, and Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Crisis”.
Northwell Health is the largest integrated health care system in New York State with a total workforce of more than 70,000 employees — the state’s largest private employer. With 23 hospitals, 6,675 hospital and long-term care beds, more than 750 outpatient physician practices and a full complement of long-term care services, Northwell is one of the nation’s largest health systems, with $12 billion in annual revenue.
Prior to becoming president and CEO in 2002, Mr. Dowling was the health system’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, served as a senior vice president at Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and spent 12 years in the New York State government as state director of Health, Education and Human Services and deputy secretary to the governor. He was also commissioner of the New York State Department of Social Services.
In this episode Tracy Duberman sits down with Michael Dowling to discuss the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the critical need for enhanced long-term support and attention to public health, and the important role of health ecosystem leaders in stewarding the national conversation.
 
Show Notes- Michael Dowling

The greatest threat facing American public health is the inability to plan for that which makes us uncomfortable. Building sustainable public health infrastructure is a matter of national security and requires us to transcend the 2 to 3-year short term timelines and thinking instilled in us by our political system.
Health Ecosystem Leaders have two key roles- lead the organization of which you are a part of and serve as a leader for the community at large by building a community of effort. Our world today is too interconnected for leading within the confines of you own walls to be sufficient.
Medical care is a small component of overall health and wellness. Everyone has an important role to play when it comes to advancing health and wellness- both at the individual and collective level. We must work with people to help them understand and take personal responsibility for health.
Covid-19 has collectively changed our perspective on life as well as our obligation and responsibility to society at large. Collectively the world is reimagining what the future looks like 5 to 10 years down the road. In Healthcare- we must build back better by focusing more on how we promote wellness and working in unity instead of in silos.
Health Ecosystem leaders must be open to partner and view their role as a part of the community health team. The only way the team wins is if they play together.

About this Episode
David Carmouche is a recognized visionary leader in the arenas of healthcare delivery, population health, and payer systems with a keen focus on both patient care and outcome metrics. Dr. Carmouche has demonstrated talent for strategic partnerships with C-suite leaders and Boards and is known for his demonstrated success in achieving operational results through cross-functional teams in complex environments. He is a trusted leader of diverse groups with competing business interests through collaborative initiatives.
Currently Dr. Carmouche serves as Senior Vice-President and President of Ochsner Health Network. In this role, he is responsible for executive oversight and management for the rapidly growing, statewide network. Dr. Carmouche is also the Executive Director of Ochsner Accountable Care Network, a regional accountable care organization (ACO), comprised of an extensive network of providers, hospitals and health centers coordinating the healthcare of approximately 35,000 of Louisiana’s Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries. Prior to joining Ochsner in August 2015, he served as the Executive Vice- President of External Operations and Chief Medical Officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana in Baton Rouge where he designed and deployed a physician-friendly, comprehensive primary care population health program and several commercial ACO contracts.
In this episode Tracy Duberman, PhD and Bob Sachs sit down with David Carmouche to discuss the experience and lessons learned from leading a health system in a major hot spot through the COVID-19 Pandemic.
 Show Notes- David Carmouche

COVID-19 has shown a bright light on the need for health systems to take an active role in addressing population health, delivering proactive healthcare, and removing barriers to access care. As Ochsner has grown in its size and influence within the state of Louisiana, the system has intentionally shifted its mindset from being a health system in Louisiana to taking responsibility for the state’s overall health status.
The forced closing of brick-and-mortar clinics due to the pandemic has greatly accelerated the adoption of telehealth and telemedicine solutions. For HELM leaders this demonstrates an important lesson on how seemingly insurmountable barriers can be very quickly overcome when there is common vision, stakeholder alignment, and a willingness to act and learn.
A common purpose, such as the need to support community physicians through the existential threat posed by COVID-19 or the desire to drive improved population health, is a powerful unifying force when it comes to forging meaningful collaborative partnerships and driving desired outcomes.
The challenges facing the US health system as we transition to value-based care are rarely black and white. It is important for HELM leaders to not become too deeply entrenched in their own belief system and remain open to the benefits of the natural tensions that exist within the health system in its current state.
The specific leadership capabilities that the health ecosystem calls for are unique due to the multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration required to drive solutions in a complex environment. A deep community-centric culture, and a dedication to intentionally evaluating and growing leaders within the system has propelled Ochsner’s ability to respond to the unique challenges posed by today’s healthcare environment.

Ron Phillips is the Senior Vice President of Human Resources - Retail and Enterprise Modernization CVS Health and esteemed board member of TLD Group. CVS Health is currently the largest pharmacy health care provider in the U.S. with approximately 300,000 employees located across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Currently number 5 on the Fortune 500, CVS has been a champion of integrated healthcare with nearly 10,000 retail pharmacy locations, 1,100-minute clinics, and through the acquisition of Aetna in 2018, 23million medical benefits members.
Ron is a unique specialist in the art of strategy, collaboration, and interpersonal skills, and he intertwines these skills in everything he delivers and achieves. Known for his innovative approach, influence, and emotional intelligence he has successfully delivered innovative human resources, change management, process improvement, and business results for the last 25 years.
In this timely episode Ron and Tracy discuss the challenging waters that healthcare and HR leaders navigate as they steward their organizations though the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread expression of anguish around the killing of George Floyd, police brutality, and pervasive systemic injustices affecting people of color. They then apply the competencies of Health Ecosystem Leadership to envision a better more just future for healthcare and chart a path forward.
Show Notes- Ron Philips

Before taking a step forward it is critical that healthcare leaders be disciplined in exercising self-care and ‘refueling’ to avoid feelings of overwhelm and paralysis from exposure to prolonged disruption and crisis.
As HELM leaders it is important to acknowledge that when navigating challenging conversations not everyone will be coming from the same place, however leaders cannot let fear prevent them from opening the dialog at all.
HELM leaders must take the time to understand the inequities they seek to address, the histories behind those inequities, the barriers to breaking through them, and the perspectives of those impacted by them. While symbolic organizational gestures may carry meaning they must be backed by concrete action.


Structural inequities are baked within the US healthcare system and result in disproportionality negative health outcomes for Black Americans and those of lower socioeconomic status. Conversations that are beginning to take place right now where people are beginning to ask fundamental questions about systemic racism and demanding change are important to ultimately move the needle.
A more equitable future for healthcare requires organizations to not only internalize and operationalize an equitable patient-centered mission, but to also step across boundaries to explore the impact that sectors such as housing, transportation, education, and more have on access to and quality of care. And begin to form meaningful long-term partnerships and policy advocacy coalitions to drive change.