Becker’s Hospital Review: Q&A With Cedars-Sinai’s COO

Becker’s Hospital Review recently interviewed Jeffrey A. Smith, MD, JD, MMM, executive vice president of Hospital Operations and chief operating officer, about leading staff through the next stage of the pandemic and Cedars-Sinai's priorities in the coming year.

Cedars-Sinai began 2022 with a new $100 million gift from the Shapell Guerin Family Foundation to establish Guerin Children's, an ambitious new vision for children's healthcare. While Cedars-Sinai already had a strong pediatrics program, Smith said the generous gift will allow the institution to build on that base and expand it.

"We are known for our high-quality adult specialty programs, like cardiology and cancer surgery and others, and we hope to also extend those programs to children as well," Smith told Becker's.

Smith said that health equity is another focus for Cedars-Sinai. The organization appointed its first chief health equity officer almost three years ago. Cedars-Sinai also established the Office of Health Equity to serve as an organized body that gathers and helps accelerate efforts in this area including research, education and unconscious bias training for all staff.

As we approach the two-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith said it's important to emphasize staff and physician wellness in part by addressing burnout. Recruiting and workforce planning also will help these efforts. "We have very dedicated and loyal employees who are highly engaged, but we need to continue to attract the best and continue to rebuild after the pandemic," Smith told Becker's.

Smith added that hospital and health system leaders should spend time on the front lines understanding how staff is being impacted, especially because things are changing so quickly. “Now more than ever, we need to listen to our people," Smith told Becker's.

Click here to read the complete article from Becker's Hospital Review.