Lisa Chiles, VP of Operations at Samaritan Albany General Hospital and VP of SHS Pharmacy Services, recently completed the 2018 Senior Executive Leadership Program with American College of Healthcare Executives.
The year-long program is designed to engage executives with their peers in other health care organizations while learning leadership skills, trends in healthcare and personal development.
“I was in a very diverse group, which included CEOs, VPs from Nursing, physicians in executive roles and military professionals from across the nation,” said Chiles.
With her cohort, Chiles visited three different sites around the US to explore cutting edge technology, processes and infrastructure in health care.
While in Orlando, she had the chance to visit the Lake Nona Medical City. Equipped with its own mayor, the medical city is built around a medical college, research institutes, VA medical center, an innovation center and a children’s hospital.
Chiles toured a home at Lake Nona Medical City and learned what is required to be a resident there.
“Residency is focused around health and learning,” said Chiles. “Every home is an Environment For Living certified and is designed to relay information about different aspects of health and wellness to the research institute. Residents also all wear bio devices that researchers used to track their health.”
One of Chiles favorite experiences was touring the Nemours Children’s Hospital at Lake Nona Medical City.
“Each floor of the hospital was dedicated to specific patient type,” she said. “For any given patient type – cancer, cardiac, neurology – all services a patient would need are provided on the same floor. Patients can receive imaging services, physical therapy or lab services without being moved.”
Chiles took a particular interest in the services provided to pediatric cardiac patients.
“Doctors use 3D printers to make models of patient hearts,” explained Chiles while sharing a photo of a 3D model of an abnormal heart with five chambers.
“They use the models to study and practice surgeries and procedures before they are performed,” said Chiles. “They also use them for patient education, for instance, when they are explaining the procedure to a patient or family member, doctors can clearly show what is happening in the heart and what is required for a certain procedure.”.
At other site-based learnings, Chiles toured different architecture designs at SCRIPPS hospitals and discovered how each patient area was designed to support patient care – like rooms that positioned natural light to help with recovery.
She also visited with a health system in Chicago to learn about a group of angel investors, who are funding innovative health care technology.
“I am excited to be given this great opportunity and I hope to bring back some of the ideas and technology that I learned at these bleeding-edge organizations,” said Chiles. “There are ways, I think, we can better utilize technology and develop relationships with partners in our community.”
Beyond each site visit, Chiles was responsible for studying a variety of health care topics, working with her peers and reflecting on how to use new skills.
In addition, each participant in the program studied and presented on different topics. Chiles presented on how Samaritan Albany General Hospital uses the Lean process in the Emergency Department to become more efficient at assessing and caring for patients.
Along with completing the Executive Leadership Program, Chiles is also a fellow with ACHE.
The year-long program is designed to engage executives with their peers in other health care organizations while learning leadership skills, trends in healthcare and personal development.
“I was in a very diverse group, which included CEOs, VPs from Nursing, physicians in executive roles and military professionals from across the nation,” said Chiles.
With her cohort, Chiles visited three different sites around the US to explore cutting edge technology, processes and infrastructure in health care.
While in Orlando, she had the chance to visit the Lake Nona Medical City. Equipped with its own mayor, the medical city is built around a medical college, research institutes, VA medical center, an innovation center and a children’s hospital.
Chiles toured a home at Lake Nona Medical City and learned what is required to be a resident there.
“Residency is focused around health and learning,” said Chiles. “Every home is an Environment For Living certified and is designed to relay information about different aspects of health and wellness to the research institute. Residents also all wear bio devices that researchers used to track their health.”
One of Chiles favorite experiences was touring the Nemours Children’s Hospital at Lake Nona Medical City.
“Each floor of the hospital was dedicated to specific patient type,” she said. “For any given patient type – cancer, cardiac, neurology – all services a patient would need are provided on the same floor. Patients can receive imaging services, physical therapy or lab services without being moved.”
Chiles took a particular interest in the services provided to pediatric cardiac patients.
“Doctors use 3D printers to make models of patient hearts,” explained Chiles while sharing a photo of a 3D model of an abnormal heart with five chambers.
“They use the models to study and practice surgeries and procedures before they are performed,” said Chiles. “They also use them for patient education, for instance, when they are explaining the procedure to a patient or family member, doctors can clearly show what is happening in the heart and what is required for a certain procedure.”.
At other site-based learnings, Chiles toured different architecture designs at SCRIPPS hospitals and discovered how each patient area was designed to support patient care – like rooms that positioned natural light to help with recovery.
She also visited with a health system in Chicago to learn about a group of angel investors, who are funding innovative health care technology.
“I am excited to be given this great opportunity and I hope to bring back some of the ideas and technology that I learned at these bleeding-edge organizations,” said Chiles. “There are ways, I think, we can better utilize technology and develop relationships with partners in our community.”
Beyond each site visit, Chiles was responsible for studying a variety of health care topics, working with her peers and reflecting on how to use new skills.
In addition, each participant in the program studied and presented on different topics. Chiles presented on how Samaritan Albany General Hospital uses the Lean process in the Emergency Department to become more efficient at assessing and caring for patients.
Along with completing the Executive Leadership Program, Chiles is also a fellow with ACHE.