Tina Freese Decker, FACHE, is president and CEO of Michigan-based Corewell Health. She earned a master’s degree from the University of Iowa and a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University. In October 2022, Corewell Health became the new name after the integration of Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health. Freese Decker led the integration, saying, “We brought together two leading health systems to form a new system committed to helping everyone be well so that they can live their healthiest life possible.”
As the leader, what was your main objective for a successful integration of the two legacy health systems?
Our goal is to make health better—for everyone. We came together to improve access and quality and to help more people reach their full health potential. From Day 1, physicians, nurses and team members across the state came together to connect, learn and implement best practices to innovate and truly transform health. We already see that the team is making a difference in so many lives.
Consider Rob, a patient who was in liver failure and in critical need of a liver transplant—a procedure performed on the east side of the state, though he lived in western Michigan. Because we are now an integrated system with statewide coverage, geography no longer matters. Rob was able to have virtual visits with his transplant team on one side of the state and have labs drawn and other routine tests performed near his home, saving him precious time and resources. From rural areas to cities, we are providing greater, easier access to exceptional care. And the innovation we see from our people is fueling our integration success.
In 2023, goals for the organization were enhancing the system’s digital capabilities, sharing best practices and investing in the culture. How did that go, and what are the goals for 2024?
Changing your name is only the first step in becoming a new organization. A unified culture is essential to bringing people together to feel—at their core—like one team. This year was all about creating that culture, which we did through connecting our technology and by focusing on our people.
We continue to invest significant time and effort in cultivating our culture. It’s a huge focus for us, and it sets the tone, the pace and the expectations. Our culture is dependent on all our team members embracing and modeling our values every single day. Some examples of how we bring our culture to life include extensive staff training, dedicated culture conversations and culture champions. When we see how our thinking drives behavior, how practicing gratitude matters and how diversity brings strength to a team, we can better understand our impact on each other and our organization. Culture matters.
Also of huge importance is our use of technology, including our seven-layer digital services plan. This includes modernizing infrastructure, furthering our cybersecurity and data analytics capabilities, aligning our business platforms, integrating our consumer digital experience, and unifying our clinical and revenue cycle platforms. We are more than halfway through our plan and expect to have most of our platforms aligned by the end of 2024.
With a strong strategic plan in action, we will continue to build on our momentum. Our top goals are focused on continuing to foster a healthy, innovative and inclusive culture and working together to connect our teams and our work in the most meaningful ways.
You have said that the status quo is not an option for the future of health. What do you mean by that?
Healthcare is challenging, ever-changing and in need of transformation. When what we need is more collaboration and compromise, we oftentimes see contention and complacency. Agreeing on solutions is one thing; making the policy, regulation and reimbursement changes needed requires monumental collaboration and innovation. We might be successful as individual systems overall but still not meet the current or future needs of our communities in a people-centered, sustainable way. But I know we can get there. Through our curiosity, we will be able to drive the necessary innovation.
With a healthy dissatisfaction with ‘the way things have always been done,’ our organization is asking so many more questions. Recently, we had a patient who was about to transition out of the hospital to a skilled nursing center. Our team asked, ‘Why?’ In the traditional healthcare model, this transition made sense. But when our team found out that the only thing stopping this patient from recovering at home was the ability to get his wheelchair into his home, they were curious. They asked, ‘What if we could remove that barrier? What would it take?’ The answer? Twenty feet of concrete. So, they called a community partner who connected the patient’s driveway to his front door. This enabled him to recover safely and comfortably at home in an environment that was more conducive to healing and far less costly than what our field automatically prescribes.
Innovation can be seen in the use of AI and automation, but it can also be seen in new ways of working, asking better questions and even in using concrete to break down barriers. Healthcare is complex, but it doesn’t have to be complicated for those we serve.
In July 2023, you were elected chair-elect designate of the AHA to serve as chair in 2025. What will be your objective?
It is an honor to serve the American Hospital Association and our members at this pivotal time in history. We play an important role in the health of our communities today. We must all continue to solve complex clinical challenges while we work to transform healthcare with the goal of delivering better health, wellness and experiences that exceed people’s expectations. I know that together we can find solutions to challenges and build a future for healthcare that enables us all to make health better in this country.
As I visit other hospitals and health systems across the country, I see one clear similarity: We are teams of people who chose to pursue a profession of care. Health professionals are called to help people. I also hear amazing stories of innovation— groundbreaking research that cures disease, remote surgery, technology advances in neuro care, cross-industry learning, advanced primary care models that deliver better outcomes, and best practices in quality and safety measures that save lives. What excites me the most about this opportunity is that I will be able to tell these stories of curiosity, collaboration, courage and compassion to inspire and motivate dynamic transformation across healthcare.
How has ACHE been an asset to your career trajectory?
Along my career path, ACHE has provided me access to an invaluable network of resources, connections and educational opportunities that have helped further my professional development. I greatly value the insights gained and treasure the connections I have made. I hope to continue to give back as a lifelong partner.