Bill Klaproth (Host): Welcome to the ASHRM podcast, made possible by the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management to support efforts to advance, safe and trusted healthcare through enterprise risk management. You can visit ashrm.org/membership to learn more and to become an ASHRM member. I'm Bill Klaproth. And with me is Linda Habibi, Director of Patient Safety and Risk Management at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center as we meet an ASHRM Rising Stars Award winner. Linda, welcome.

Linda Habibi: Thank you, Bill. So happy to be here today.

Host: Yeah, excited to talk with you. So first off, can you tell us about your journey into the field of healthcare risk management?

Linda Habibi: Sure. So, I, like a lot of people, knew I wanted to be in healthcare. And when I was starting out trying to decide where I was going to land, I thought I wanted to be a doctor. I quickly realized that that wasn't my path. I didn't want to be involved in actual patient care, but rather, I wanted to be on the kind of administrative side of healthcare instead.

So, I did some research and I kind of landed into health law. I went to law school. After law school, I got a job as a medical malpractice defense attorney. So again, in that kind of administrative side, I guess, of healthcare. But again, pretty quickly realized that wasn't my passion. I didn't want to be a litigator for the rest of my life. I didn't want to be a partner at a law firm. It felt too kind of reactive, in a sense. So, I tried to figure out, I was trying to find a path where I wanted to be. And through my role as a defense attorney, my "clients" were the hospital risk managers. So, I got to meet with them, I got to speak with them and see what they did instead. And I learned that, in risk management, of course, we do react to adverse events, and issues, but we also have the opportunity to be more proactive.

So, I really liked that. I liked being boots on the ground at the hospital. I liked being able to effectuate change in policies and procedures and things like that. So, I pivoted into healthcare risk management. That was about a decade ago, and I've never looked back, I really love this space. I love this field, and that's how I ended up here.

Host: That is really interesting. So, you wanted to be a doctor first, and then you got into health law, became a lawyer, and now into the risk management field. How did you wind up at Lahey?

Linda Habibi: I'm actually from the St. Louis area in Missouri. To make a very long story short, I started my career as a lawyer and as a risk manager in the Midwest. And then, I met my now husband. He works out in the Boston area. So, I eventually found my way here. A couple different hospitals later, I am here at Lahey in Burlington. I really like the space. We're a really good hospital. We do a lot of things really well. And I've been here for a little over a year and a half now. And, again, I have never looked back. It's really nice here.

Host: That is really fascinating. So, what does it mean to you to be recognized as one of ASHRM room's rising stars personally and professionally?

Linda Habibi: Honestly, it's very humbling and energizing. I was part of the inaugural class of Rising Stars, so one of the first three people listed named as a Rising Star. And it's almost reaffirmed the dedication and my choice to enter this field 10 years ago.

It also reminds me how important it is to pause and celebrate your progress and celebrate professional growth. It's like my own personal stamp of approval, reaffirming that I'm doing something right. I picked the right career, because I'm on the right path. It's really great.

Host: So, you mentioned this kind of reaffirmed your professional growth. Being recognized as an ASHRM from Rising Star, has this impacted your career professionally in any other way at this point so far?

Linda Habibi: Yeah. It's given me a lot of visibility and validation within the risk management community. It's opened a lot of doors in the networking space with leaders and peers across the country, whether it be at the annual conference, getting to meet new people or even through other venues, like this podcast, meeting you today. It's reinforced--

Host: That is the highlight. Linda, let's be honest here.

Linda Habibi: I agree with you. I agree with you, Bill, for sure. No, but really this award, like I said, it's reinforced my commitment to the field, but also to me as a growing leader. I am a director now. I have a team of risk professionals underneath me. And it motivates me to also invest in my team. I have the privilege, like I said, of supporting a group of risk management professionals. And honestly, all of them themselves are rising stars. And so, my hope is to help them reach the point where they are also recognized with awards like this.

Host: We're happy to hear that. It sounds like it certainly has made an impact so far. That's really good to hear. So, thank you for sharing that. So, let's talk about your work at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center. Can you share with us any successful risk management projects you've led there?

Linda Habibi: So, something that comes to mind is actually a project that occurred at my prior organization. And I mean,, it was the rebuild of an event reporting system. So at that organization, I had the opportunity to be a part of the team that was implementing this brand new event reporting system. And we all know in risk management that your event reporting system is the day-to-day thing that you are in, you are looking at every single day. It's one of the most important things in our field. We had an old product at the time. It was outdated and not effective. And so, we had the opportunity to switch platforms and really build the new system from the ground up.

And the project consisted of not only designing the platform itself and the questions that would be answered and what would be mandatory and things like that. But also developing and delivering the organizational-wide training, about risk management and about the event reporting systems. So, those trainings, going out, talking to people around the organization was really the highlight of the project for me. I got to introduce myself to basically each department, almost everybody in the hospital, and have these conversations that I normally wouldn't have with them. There's this stigma and I talk about this a lot. I've actually spoken at ASHRM about this quote unquote negative stigma around risk management. And so, getting out in front of others in the hospital, not when something bad has happened, not when an adverse outcome has occurred, but rather just to talk about risk management and teach people how to use our event reporting system. It was really impactful to me and a lot of people I think wanted to get out of those trainings, but I always raised my hand and I said, "No, I want to go, I want to meet people in this positive way." And that made a huge impact, and it's a strong memory of mine.

Host: Well, building relationships like that always helps as well. And I love how you said that you were able to get out there and maybe change the perception of risk management, change the narrative a little bit, so that's really cool. Let's talk about ASHRM a little bit. How has ASHRM been pivotal or instrumental in your career development?

Linda Habibi: So honestly, joining ASHRM has probably been the best thing that I've done to develop my career. In the early years before I was very involved, it gave me the education and the resources I needed as a newer risk management professional, new to the field, not really knowing much or where to go. ASHRM obviously has so many different educational sessions, whether it be through Academy or Express, or the annual conference or the webinars. I could go on and on. It's a great way to learn and develop yourself, develop your knowledge in this field.

Now, it's been a few years since I've been in ASHRM, and what I take away from it is the strong network and the community that I have built with ASHRM, and its members. Some of these people are my mentors. Some of these people have turned into lifelong friends. I do truly feel giddy sometimes about my deep connection to the ASHRM community. The annual conference is probably one of my favorite thing, favorite events of the entire year. I look forward to it every year.

I'm so lucky that I've been able to speak at a couple previous conferences, and I'm going to be a speaker at this year's conference in Charlotte as well. I'm also on the annual conference committee. So, I'm part of the team that chooses the sessions and the workshops for the annual conference. And then, we get to walk around and introduce speakers and things like that. So, I really like being a part of that.

And then, lastly, this year I joined the HRM1 faculty group that teaches at ASHRM Academy Express and other sessions. At the end, I've gotten so much out of ASHRM. And so, it feels really good at the end of the day to be able to give back to ASHRM's members in this small way.

Host: Linda, you've got nothing going on at all. You have nothing happening there.

Linda Habibi: I have tons of time on my hands, Bill.

Host: Oh my goodness. Well, I'm happy to hear that ASHRM really was important. I think you named it the number one thing. I would say the number two thing, being on this podcast. Okay. a little theme there. Just want to keep that theme going. Great stuff though about building a strong network, community, how important the annual conference has been to you, being on the committee. So, getting involved is really great and .We thank you for your effort and your service and your time for sure, Linda. We appreciate that at ASHRM.

So, let's talk about mentors. Anybody that accomplishes anything in life has people around them that push them to counsel them, to guide them. Can you share with us any mentors that have helped you in your career?

Linda Habibi: Yeah. And this is honestly my favorite question because I truly wouldn't be where I am today without the guidance and support of my mentors. So, three people come to mind and I'm happy that I get to call them out. Number one is Ailish Wilkie. She was my supervisor back in 2018, and a few years after that. Like I said earlier, I am originally from Missouri and I moved to the Massachusetts area in 2018, and she was my supervisor at that time. At the time, I'd been in risk management for a couple of years, I really hadn't been encouraged to join any organizations. I'm not even sure if I knew what ASHRM from was at the time. But Ailish really opened the door and taught me, "Hey, there are these local chapters in Massachusetts, we call it MSHRM. The Massachusetts Society for Healthcare Risk Management. So, she opened my eyes-- I know MSHRM's a funny name. But she opened my eyes and she opened the door to join MSHRM, to join ASHRM, to attend the local conferences, to attend the national conference. So really, she's the one that kind of kickstarted my journey to where I am today.

Then, I met Tatum O'Sullivan, who I think most of us, all of us probably know as an ASHRM past president. She has become not just a mentor, but really one of my strongest cheerleaders. Tatum is very forward thinking and strategic. So, she checks on me often. And we really strategize my career, my hopefully future at ASHRM and where I can go, what I can do from here. I really appreciate having her in my corner.

And then, I like to call out Anne Huben-Kearney. Ann and I share a passion for adult learning, I think. Ann has been the chair of several different educational committees. And several years ago, I reached out to her because she chaired the education committee for our regional conference. We call it the New England Regional Healthcare Risk Management Conference. So, Ann was the chair. I said, "I want to be a part of that. I really like being involved in educational sessions and bringing good content to ASHRM and MSHRM members. So, she said, "Yes, please join our group." And that eventually led to me co-chairing that committee and then chairing that committee.

So, Ann has been instrumental, I think her and I have actually presented workshops together at the regional conference. So, her and I, having this shared passion together has been great. And she's taught me so much about leadership and collaboration and really the power of education in our profession.

Host: Those are great shout outs. Love it. Great, great, great, great. So, Ailish Wilkie, Tatum, O'Sullivan, and Anne Huben. Is it Anne Huben-Kearney, right?

Linda Habibi: Yes, yes.

Host: Got it. Right. I wanted to make sure I got that right. So great to hear your appreciation of them and how they helped you. And I know as your career develops, Linda, you're going to do the same for other ASHRM from members as well. So, speaking of that and newcomers coming into the risk management field, what advice do you have for someone new to the field of risk management?

Linda Habibi: So, I said it before that, once I joined this field, once I found this profession, I've never looked back. That doesn't mean that it hasn't been hard, though. It's hard. it's tough. You, as a risk manager, are going to be the one that presents yourself when things go wrong, when an adverse event has happened, when somebody has been harmed. And that's challenging at times.

What you'll also receive is really challenging questions. Risk management is often the dumping grounds of, "Well, I don't know where to go with this question, so I'm going to ask risk management." So when I was a new risk management professional, I would receive these questions. And I almost felt deflated when I didn't know the answer to all of them. And then, somebody used this phrase with me, and it's completely changed my mindset. And that phrase is "Be the bridge, not the bucket." And really, what that means is you're going to receive these wide range of issues, these wide range of questions thrown at you. But that doesn't mean that you have to own and know every answer. What it means is that you need to be the bridge. You need to be able to bridge gaps and connect people and be able to find the right answer, not necessarily know the right answer.

So once I learned that, I realized it's not on me to be able to answer everything that comes my way. It's on me to be able to connect the right people, to be able to find the answer, go out and get the answer, but not necessarily know it. And just knowing that you're not going to know everything, but that's okay. That's risk management. You're just going to be the bridge, not the bucket. That is really what shaped my thoughts, my perception of the profession when I was younger, when I was a newer risk manager.

Host: Linda, this has been so great talking with you. I love how you just said that. Be the bridge, not the bucket. That is great advice for all of us. Before we wrap up, I'd love to get from you any final thoughts or anything else you'd like to add.

Linda Habibi: This has been great. I've really enjoyed being here as well. The only final thought that I have is that I'm truly thankful for joining ASHRM however many years ago and meeting the people that I met. The networking opportunities here are bar none. Like, it's so great to meet the members here at ASHRM, especially those who have been a part of ASHRM for a very long time.

Everyone that I've met has, in a way, formally or informally become a mentor to me, has become a cheerleader. And like you said, I hope to do that too, I hope to be that mentor and that cheerleader for future members or newer members. So, honestly, it's such a great community and I'm so happy that I found my home here at ASHRM.

Host: Oh, that is so good to hear. Absolutely. And like you said, ASHRM has been instrumental in your career. And I love how you said earlier, building a strong network and community, all of those things are true and we know that you're going to be a great mentor for the upcoming people in risk management. Linda, thank you so much for your time. This has really been great.

Linda Habibi: Thank you so much, Bill. I've had a wonderful time.

Host: Linda, thank you again. And that was Linda Habibi sharing insights and experiences as a recipient of the ASHRM Rising Stars Award. For more information, go to ashrm.org/ashrm-member-spotlight. And the ASHRM Podcast was made possible by the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management to support efforts to advance, safe and trusted healthcare through enterprise risk management. You can visit ashrm.org/membership to learn more and to become a member. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the full podcast library for topics of interest to you. Thanks for listening,