A Note from Troy

As summer gives way to fall and we enter September, we fi nd ourselves refl ecting on the signifi cance of September 11, 2001. The horrible events surrounding that day are etched in the collective conscience of generations. Equally as impactful was the incredible sacrifi ce and service to others from fi re fi ghters, fi rst responders, and medical personnel who rallied together to help. They braved treacherous circumstances, many losing their own lives in the hope of saving others. Twenty years later, we are still a grateful nation humbled by the heroic efforts witnessed in those fateful moments.

Today we fi nd ourselves facing challenges of a different nature requiring no less of a heroic effort by caregiving team members. The global Coronavirus pandemic has strained our health systems and communities in ways unseen for nearly 100 years. Eighteen months into this battle, our community is blessed to have the brave team members at Boone Health giving of themselves by sharing their knowledge, skills, and gifts to care for others. Our collective “thank you” to our healthcare team members feels inadequate to express our heartfelt appreciation for their sacrifi ces.

It really is amazing to consider our creation 100 years ago was, in part, to address the last major global pandemic due to the Spanish Flu. What challenges did our founders see in the immediate future? What needs did they identify and how might they have addressed opportunities? Could they have envisioned a healthcare system 100 years later with nearly 2,000 team members, more than 400 providers, a home health agency, ambulance service, retail pharmacy and 13 clinic locations with the furthest clinics being 95 miles apart? Although they may not have envisioned what Boone Health became, they certainly had vision for the future of a growing mid-Missouri.

Looking to our immediate future, how might we build on this legacy of service to our community for the last 100 years? Although detailed projection of activities can be diffi cult, we can look at present trends and identify categories of activities that will be critical to meeting the healthcare needs of our community. Three of these categories are Access, Value, and Operational Excellence.

Our collective ‘thank you’ to our healthcare team members feels inadequate to express our heartfelt appreciation for their sacrifi ces.

Access describes how easy it is to receive service at Boone Health. This includes everything from scheduling, arrival, convenience of locations, virtual options, coordination with providers, and availability. We must see things through the eyes of our customers and remove barriers to make the experience of using Boone Health as seamless as possible.

In a world where you can book a fl ight, reserve a hotel, rent a car, work, and shop without leaving home, what virtual options are we creating to access healthcare services? Development still needs to be done in this area, but telemedicine will certainly be a signifi cant option moving forward. The strength and continued growth of our medical group along with community providers is critical to meet the needs of our community. This is especially true in the areas of primary care services. Our Home Health service is in a prime position for growth and well positioned to be an adjunct for other services. Boone Hospital Center is a vital resource for our broad, 26-county service area. Outlying patients, hospitals, and providers rely on us to be available when higher levels of care are needed. We must build up our greatest resource, our Boone Health team members, to accommodate these requests safely and effi ciently. Ensuring we have the resources to say “yes” when needed is crucial to fulfi lling our mission.

Value in healthcare is achieving the highest possible quality and service at the lowest cost. Healthcare spending represented 17.7% of the U.S. economy in 2018. We owe it to our community to be strong stewards of our resources and deliver outstanding service. The great news for Boone Health is we are an exceptional value today. To ensure that is the case going forward, we must be mindful of our responsibilities while working with other like-minded organizations who understand the importance of creating healthcare value. Boone Health will be a strong partner and participate in networks and programs emphasizing value. We will continue to develop our ambulatory offerings to complement our outstanding hospital services.

Operational Excellence is the backbone of a high performing healthcare organization. Ensuring our tools, systems, and processes work well is essential for high quality care. Continuous improvement to reduce variability throughout the system eliminates waste, enhances outcomes, and improves team member engagement. Focusing on operational excellence is critical as we continue to integrate various systems and platforms since becoming an independent health system on April 1.

Although predicting what the future will look like is an inexact science, aspects of who we are and what we do are timeless in a healthcare organization. The core of Boone Health is our passionate team members who care deeply for their patients and each other. This passion drives our commitment to exceptional quality and service and helps us achieve our mission. Whether it was the Spanish Flu of 1918 or the current Coronavirus pandemic, Boone and our team members have been here ensuring great care is delivered to our community. I look forward to our future with great anticipation because I believe in Boone.

Troy Greer

CEO, Boone Hospital Center