Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Summary

Episode: Austin Jones, SVP and CFO of NKC Health
Release Date: August 12, 2025
Host: Alan Condon

Introduction to Austin Jones and His Journey

Timestamp: [00:00]

Alan Condon welcomes Austan Jones, the Senior Vice President and CFO of NKC Health, a nonprofit health system in Kansas City, Missouri. Austan shares his unconventional career path, initially aiming to become a commercial airline pilot before transitioning into accounting—a field influenced by his father, a CPA. He recounts his early career experiences in public accounting and his transition into healthcare administration, highlighting his roles at a joint venture Surgical Hospital in Amarillo, Texas, and a larger acute care hospital in Houston. Austan emphasizes his passion for the dynamic and complex nature of the healthcare industry, which has kept his career engaging and fulfilling.

Austan Jones [00:30]: “Healthcare was the most complex [industry], and I knew for a fact that leaning into that career... I would never get bored.”

Current Focus Areas: Government Impact, Workforce, and Access

Timestamp: [04:39]

When discussing current challenges, Austan identifies three main areas of focus:

1. Governmental Impacts: Navigating reimbursement rates, Medicare Advantage, managed Medicaid products, and 340B regulations. Austan underscores the complex relationship between private hospitals and government payers, often receiving payments below costs.

2. Workforce Development: Emphasizing the importance of attracting and retaining a strong workforce, Austan highlights initiatives like a medical assistant academy, lab school, and pharmacy school to build a vertically integrated staff pipeline.

3. Access to Care: Ensuring timely access to specialists and services, which depends on recruiting specialized providers to meet community demands.

Austan Jones [07:15]: “Our people are our greatest asset... we’re focusing on how we invest human capital in the best ways.”

Advantages of Being an Independent Health System

Timestamp: [12:30]

Austan discusses the unique strengths of NKC Health as an independent community hospital amidst industry consolidation:

• Community Loyalty and Trust: Independent hospitals often benefit from strong, loyal patient bases who trust their local institutions over larger systems.

• Employee Engagement and Culture: NKC Health fosters a tight-knit community with events like company barbecues and employee appreciation celebrations, creating a unique and supportive work environment.

• Physician-Centric Approach: With a leadership team that includes former physicians, NKC Health maintains a strong focus on empowering providers and aligning closely with community needs.

• Board Composition: The board consists of community members, ensuring decisions are made with local interests in mind rather than purely financial or corporate considerations.

Austan Jones [14:06]: “We develop a culture that's unique, and we hear it from our patients... we're much more physician centric.”

Growth and Strategic Investments at NKC Health

Timestamp: [14:43]

Looking ahead, Austan shares exciting developments and growth metrics at NKC Health:

• Significant Revenue Growth: Since 2021, NKC Health has achieved a 40% growth in net patient service revenue, driven by robust outpatient services and strategic investments.

• Expansion of Outpatient Services: Investments in the cancer center, interventional radiology, cardiology, outpatient imaging, rehab, and lab services have fueled outpatient growth from 56% to 61% of business.

• Partnership with Mayo Clinic Care Network: This affiliation provides access to world-class expertise while allowing patients to receive comprehensive care locally, enhancing NKC Health's reputation and service quality.

• Labor Delivery Services Investment: Despite being traditionally a loss leader, investing in labor delivery services met community needs and bolstered NKC Health’s standing as a community-focused institution.

Austan Jones [18:00]: “NKC Health has had 40% growth in net patient service revenue... Our emergency room is by far the busiest, with 83,000 visits last year.”

Sustaining Growth Through Strategic Leadership and Community Commitment

Timestamp: [18:27]

Austan attributes NKC Health’s substantial growth to strategic decisions made during the pandemic, including:

• Employee Retention: By avoiding layoffs and furloughs, NKC Health maintained a stable and experienced workforce, which enabled the hospital to meet increased demand post-pandemic.

• Full Utilization of Licensed Beds: Unlike other hospitals that reduced capacity, NKC Health maintained full staffing of licensed beds, ensuring readiness and reliability for the community.

• Community Commitment: Investing in essential services and maintaining full capacity reinforced community trust and positioned NKC Health as a dependable healthcare hub.

Austan Jones [20:58]: “When I came here, it was during the thick of the pandemic... They saw it as an investment... ensuring our community that they were going to have somewhere to go.”

Future Focus and Continuous Improvement

Timestamp: [21:34]

Looking forward, Austan outlines NKC Health’s priorities for the next 12 to 24 months:

• Continued Outpatient Growth: Doubling down on service lines that are performing well and investing in areas with high community demand.

• Efficiency and Cost Management: Achieving stronger margins by reducing premium pay by 70%, improving labor management, and enhancing internal efficiencies through technology and best practices learned from partners like Mayo Clinic.

• Sustained Community Engagement: Maintaining a focus on serving the community’s needs and reinvesting in areas that provide the most value and impact.

Austan Jones [22:00]: “In one year we reduced premium pay by 70%... We’re focusing on efficiencies internally while continuing to serve the community.”

Conclusion

Timestamp: [23:33]

Alan Condon wraps up the conversation, emphasizing the impressive growth and strategic direction of NKC Health. He commends Austan for his leadership and the hospital’s commitment to community-focused care. Austan expresses his enthusiasm for future developments and collaboration with other healthcare leaders.

Austan Jones [23:51]: “I look forward to hearing more from other leaders. It's been great, Sam.”

Key Takeaways:

• Adaptable Leadership: Austan Jones leverages his diverse background to navigate the complexities of healthcare finance.
• Community-Focused Growth: NKC Health's strategic investments and strong community ties have driven significant growth and resilience.
• Workforce Development: Prioritizing employee retention and training ensures a stable and skilled workforce.
• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborations, such as with the Mayo Clinic Care Network, enhance service quality and patient satisfaction.
• Efficiency and Innovation: Continuous improvement in operations and cost management supports sustainable growth.

This episode provides valuable insights into the strategic management and growth of an independent health system, highlighting the importance of community engagement, workforce development, and adaptability in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape.