Michael Smith, MD (Host): Welcome to the Healthcare Executive Podcast, providing you with insightful commentary and developments in the world of healthcare leadership. I'm Dr. Mike, your host for today. Joining us is Michele Sutton. She's President and CEO of North Oaks Health System and Chair of the American College of Healthcare Executives Board of Governors.

Michele, welcome to the show.

Michele K. Sutton, FACHE: Thank you. I'm delighted to be here.

Host: Listen, congratulations on your new role, right? Chair of the ACHE Board of Governors. Very excited for you. I know a lot of people are happy to see you on board. Now you have had, based on what I've read, a unique start to your healthcare career, right? You started in another industry. Can you tell us about how you made that switch?

Michele K. Sutton, FACHE: Absolutely. Yes, I didn't come up the traditional route. I came out of banking. So after I got my MBA from college, I went into marketing for a bank. And I worked my way up to be vice president of a bank in marketing. And one day a family member was in the local community hospital and I went to visit that loved one and what I saw had just this profound effect on me. I felt this sense of purpose and I was like this is my why. This is what I'm meant to do is to tell hospital stories to help other people understand the great work that healthcare workers do. And as luck would have it, about a year after that experience, I got the opportunity to be the marketing officer at that local hospital. I mean, it was just amazing because I think if you have a core set of good business skills, you can transcend any industry, but you have to have a trusted partner to do that.

And that's what I found in ACHE. Because I had a Master's of Business, but what I didn't have was a Master's of Healthcare Leadership. And that's what I feel like I received through my membership with ACHE and earning my fellow. It gave me that competitive advantage to move up.

Host: Man, Michele, there's nothing better than that personal story, right, that connects somebody to a new career, a new outlook, a new purpose. And I know you're bringing that passion into your new role. So the ACHE has membership. And I know you're a part of that now, and board certification. How has all that helped you up to this point?

Michele K. Sutton, FACHE: I think it's the reason why I am where I am. And I say that because, first, I started off with our local chapter. And part of belonging to ACHE is you have the national association and they have local chapters where you can network, hone your skills, develop relationships. But then you can take courses nationally, you can go to Congress, you can make connections.

And for me, making those connections, the involvement, having this network of trusted advisors, was immeasurable. Because I didn't come through an MHA route. I came from marketing. So I needed subject matter experts that I could trust who were just as invested in me as I was in myself to succeed. And that's what, to me, the benefit of ACHE is all about.

Host: Sounds to me like it's more than a membership. It's almost like let's go beyond the word network, right? You're part of a family. It sounds like you're able to reach out to people and have those conversations. That sounds fantastic. I, do want to back up for a sec, Michele, because I'm still stuck on that personal story.

That really, I loved that. So I'm thinking besides that story, was there somebody else, was there something else that you kind of give credit for getting you to where you're at today?

Michele K. Sutton, FACHE: I do. That story gave me a sense of purpose and a why. I see health care as a calling, and I have an innate curiosity. I have this desire to always learn, but I'm also very cognizant of, I don't know everything, and you have to find humor, when you don't know everything. And so I was working here one day, and I was asked to go into a department to do something, and I asked a question, and literally the staff around me were laughing at me, and then eventually with me, because I had to laugh at my faux pas as well.

I used a term that was a piece of equipment, it's called mass trousers, and they're military anti shock trousers or blood pressure pants, and I asked if they were jabot jeans or Dockers. That's what, that's what I thought I was looking for, not realizing it was medical equipment. So, after we all laughed, I immediately went back to my office, and I started going through the local university catalog to see if I could take a nursing course, because I knew I wanted to stay in this field, and where could I get an immersion in health care knowledge, and it was going to take too long to become a nurse.

But I did see an emergency medical technician course at the local community college, and so I enrolled in it. It was six months, and I went every week for six months and became an EMT. So then all of a sudden I had instant street credibility with my team because I could talk their language. There was not going to be any more faux pas's, at least about equipment.

Host: No more trousers or something like that.

Michele K. Sutton, FACHE: And so we just, you know, but it made the difference because I did my clinicals in our ER. I rode on the local Acadian, it's called Acadian Ambulance, our local EMS service. And so I worked side by side with our team and it also gave me a deeper appreciation for what they go through each and every day. And so I think that had the biggest effect on me, seeing them in action, working side by side with them, made me want to be a healthcare leader to remove barriers and ensure they had the resources they needed to adequately and extraordinarily care for our community members.

Host: I love that. Michele, what a wonderful story. I connect to that because I became an EMT, too, before I went to become a medical doctor. I wanted to know if I really wanted to be a medical doctor. I thought maybe that's a good way to begin, right? What an experience I had. So I get it, Michele. Fantastic. Listen, Michele, you've done a lot in your career. You make me feel a little bit like a slacker to be honest with you. Um, but, what are you most proud of in your career this point so far?

Michele K. Sutton, FACHE: What I'm most proud of at this point in my career is, one, to have achieved this pinnacle, which is to Chair ACHE Board of Governors, to follow in the footsteps of the people I admire the most, and have the opportunity to work side by side, along with the I would call it the brain trust of the industry, and to be able to call them my friends.

The second thing I'm most proud of thus far, probably, happened during the pandemic. Tangebo Parish, where I live, was hit the second busiest, had the most COVID positive patients per capita of any other county or parish in the United States. We were number two. And I say that because when we hit that height was in August of 21, at the same time my community took a direct hit from Hurricane Ida.

So I'm juggling COVID, Hurricane Ida, my hospital takes a direct hit, and our team was phenomenal. We never missed a beat, we took every challenge, we took every hit, and we came out better for it. And it showed us how we could respond quickly with innovativeness and pivot. And I think that's all core competencies that ACHE teaches us and that I've learned from them is you have to find humor, you have to be an innovative thinker, you have to lead by example, and you have to be present with your team and be the calm in the storm and direct that ship. And I think our response to both of those at the same time will resonate with me probably until I am long past retired.

Host: I love that story. The fact that you were faced with challenges and the people you worked with, they responded, they learned, they evolved, and they saved lives. I mean, that's amazing. And this is a great springboard into my next question for you. It's about learning, lifelong learning. I know that's important to you.

I know it's a big value of the ACHE. How important is that for your Chair for the next couple of years to make sure your leaders, your hospitals that they're learning more and more and more.

Michele K. Sutton, FACHE: Lifelong learning is a core value of ACHE, but it's also a core value of Michele Sutton. And my parents instilled in me at an early age that I could do anything, if I put my mind to it and I learned. And I was curious, and spent the time reading, never feeling like I knew enough, and being humble enough to say, I don't know, and being vulnerable enough to say, I don't know, but I know where to find the answer, or I know where to go to get the answer.

At one point in my career, I was a little frustrated because as I kept raising my hand, asking for new opportunities, you know, I'd say, I'll take that. I'll take that. I had an unbelievable CEO who saw something in me and would give me the opportunity, but would not show me or teach me. He just threw me into the deep end of the pool and said, you want it? You got it. Now go do it. And had I not believed in lifelong learning and have taken the initiative to go figure it out, to go learn, to go research. I've worked in every department in this facility because I wanted to learn. I think healthcare is such a fluid industry, which is why I love it.

I like the chaos, I like the current, the constant change and evolving. It keeps me stimulated, and so when you're using your brain and you're constantly learning, then it is not atrophying. So I know I'm continually growing. And so I never want to have the alternative, which is part of me is dying off because I'm not using it.

And I think when you're constantly learning, healthcare is hard. Healthcare leadership is not for the faint of the heart, what we deal with. So when you invest in yourself to be a continuous learner, a lifelong learner, now you're learning techniques to work smarter, not harder. So when you put the time in, I work, I won't say less, but not as stressful, because I work smarter. I've learned the art of delegation, the art of follow through. And I think anyone can be successful if they commit to being a lifelong learner. The benefit is for them is you're going to be able to learn how to work smarter and more efficiently, and then you can learn that work family balance.

Host: Very nice. And the proof for you is clear. You went from trousers to an EMT to the Chair of ACHE. I mean, look at that. And that was all through your commitment to lifelong learning. What a fantastic story, Michele. Thank you for sharing that. And now that you're in this position now, right?

Now you're the one people are looking up to. What kind of advice do you want to give to people early in this career, emerging healthcare leaders? What would you say to them?

Michele K. Sutton, FACHE: Be open to opportunities. Never think you can't do it. If somebody believes in you, believe in yourself, that you can achieve that next bar. The next thing I would say to them is always look at each opportunity as an opportunity to learn. You never know when you're going to need that skillset or that tool and ask, look for ways to make yourself invaluable to your organization.

But when you do it, don't expect money every time because what they're giving you is the value of an education that then makes you more marketable later or sets you up for the next promotion when the opportunity arises. And I think sometimes people are worried about every time they add a new area to be responsible for, they're looking for compensation.

If you do a good job, the compensation will come, if you are working for the right organization. And you wanna make sure that you work for people who have the same values that you have and that they're just as invested in you as you are in their organization. And I think you also have to have a sense of humor like I did. So I'm looking for pants and it's, you know, it's medical equipment. You have to have a sense of humor and know that you're gonna make mistakes along the way. But you can prepare yourself through education so that maybe you don't make as many mistakes along the way. But expect you're not growing unless you're challenging yourself and when you challenge yourself you are going to make some mistakes, and I think you have to give your, yourself a little grace.

Host: I think you're so spot on there. If you're so worried about not being right all the time and making mistakes, you're not going to ask the questions, right? You're not going to be reaching out. So I think that's fantastic. You know, Michele, gosh, healthcare, it's changing so much and so fast in today's world, how do you plan to help those leaders, and people that look up to you to kind of navigate these changes while still keeping the focus on patient care, right?

Because at the end of the day, whether you're a healthcare executive, an EMT, a medical doctor like myself, that's what it's about, right?

Michele K. Sutton, FACHE: Absolutely, the patient is at the heart of everything we do. And so what advice I would have, especially as Chair, is we are blessed with an unbelievable organization, which is ACHE. They are constantly, that staff, they're constantly on the cutting forefront, looking at what's coming, innovation. They're visionary, led by Deborah Bowen.

She's phenomenal. So let ACHE be that trusted partner for you. And I'll give you an example. One of the things that they did was a blueprint for safety. As we were looking at how organizations could become high reliability, trying to obtain zero harm, they developed that blueprint.

I didn't need to take the time, spend the time, delegate it. I went to the subject matter expert and got it and implemented it. That's what I'm talking about working smarter. And I think as Chair, our job is to ensure that our strategic plan, we're getting ready to kick off our next three year strategic plan, is that we focus on those three imperatives, which is to be a catalyst.

That's where we are a catalyst for change, for healthcare delivery, to have zero preventable harm and create greater health equity. To be that connector, to connect people with each other, to that networking, that sense of community, the word you used, family, and then to be the trusted partner because I know that if I ask ACHE for something or if I go to an ACHE course, it's all been vetted.

I know that it's the latest, most relevant information that can affect the way we deliver healthcare, either in a small community hospital like mine or a large health system with nationwide presence. ACHE has something for everybody because she's got, she being, Deborah Bowen has this team of what she calls, and I love her term, small but mighty.

She's got a team of 100 people helping all 50, almost 52,000 of us members. How awesome is that?

Host: Yeah, that's amazing. And I know you're proud of that, right? That's, that really is. At this point, Michele, I'm going to tell you, you're focused. You have a plan. You have that vision. That's why where you're at, I see it. I'm excited to see what you do as the new Chair. So I'm going to be following you and watching what you do.

Many blessings to you. And I know it's going to be great. Before we end, I have to ask you, Michele, you're so busy, and you've been busy for long time, and you love what you do, you're passionate about, I get it, I get it. Give me a couple of things you do to unwind a little bit at the end of the day.

Michele K. Sutton, FACHE: Okay. Every day when I get home, I'm blessed to have a husband who supports me, lets me live my dream. He's retired now. So when I get home, I get to sit back, have a glass of wine and just share my day with him. And then I cook dinner for us. That's how I get rid of stress. That's how I relax is cooking.

I love to cook. And then when we're able to go on vacations, which we try to go twice a year. We go to some remote beach somewhere. And I like to be on a sailboat. I like my feet in the sand. And just sit and relax and listen to the waves. And if I can't make a trip because, you know, we're too busy, then I listen to the waves on my phone.

Or on my iPad.

Host: Technology, use it, right?

Michele K. Sutton, FACHE: You gotta take advantage of it. But, I think part of being successful as a leader is that you have to make time for yourself. You have to refill your cup because if it's empty, you're not going to be good to anyone else. And so taking time, every night to go home, reflect on the day, be grateful for what we were able to accomplish because nobody does anything by their selves. I'm blessed with a phenomenal team and a great support system. So that's how I relax every evening is just reflecting on the work that we've done and how fortunate I am to have the family that I do.

Host: So, Michele, are you a pretty good home cook?  

Michele K. Sutton, FACHE: I am and you have to be a good cook coming out of our home because my mother was a hundred percent Italian. And so, everything was around food and both my brother and I are excellent cooks. Neither my sister-in-law nor my husband cook, just my brother and I, and we love it.

Host: It's funny you say that because on my side, my mom's side of the family, we're Greek. My mom's name was Skrogyani. We celebrated food. So I'm trying to pick up those Greek recipes and they're hard. Maybe that's why I don't do such a great job. Michele, this is fantastic. Thank you for coming on.

Michele K. Sutton, FACHE: Thank you, Dr. Mike, for having me. I really appreciate it,

Host: For additional podcasts, please visit healthcareexecutive.org/podcast. And for more information about the American College of Healthcare Executives, please visit ACHE.org. That's A-C-H-E.org. I'm Dr. Mike. Thanks for listening.