Dr. Sandra Scott, CEO, One Brooklyn Health

Summary

Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Summary Episode: Dr. Sandra Scott, CEO, One Brooklyn Health Release Date: June 18, 2025

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Introduction

In this insightful episode of the Becker's Healthcare Podcast, host [B] engages in a compelling conversation with Dr. Sandra Scott, the interim CEO of One Brooklyn Health. Recording live at the 15th Annual Meeting, the discussion delves into Dr. Scott's professional journey, her initiatives to enhance patient experience, the challenges facing the healthcare workforce, and her visionary outlook on the future of healthcare leadership.

Guest Introduction

Dr. Sandra Scott begins by sharing her extensive background in healthcare:

“I am an emergency physician. I rose up in healthcare as a physician leader, became the executive director of Brookdale Hospital, which is our tertiary hospital within the One Brooklyn Health System, and was appointed the interim CEO of the system in January of 2024.”
— Dr. Sandra Scott [00:44]

Her progression from frontline medical practice to executive leadership underscores her deep commitment to improving healthcare delivery and operational excellence.

Enhancing Patient Experience

One of Dr. Scott's proudest initiatives over the past year has been a focused effort to improve patient experience, a significant challenge in New York State:

“We have focused on the patient experience and I know that that is a major struggle for a lot of organizations, particularly in New York State. We have some of the lowest patient experience scores across the country. Unfortunately, a lot of challenges in meeting patients' needs and expectations.”
— Dr. Sandra Scott [01:16]

In response, Dr. Scott and her team launched a comprehensive initiative in collaboration with labor partners to equip staff with the necessary tools to enhance patient interactions. This initiative reflects a long-term commitment to fostering a culture of excellence and empathy within the organization.

“We've launched an initiative along with our labor partners to ensure that we give our staff the tools that they need to provide the best possible patient experience. And we're on a very long journey. But I'm excited that there's enthusiasm and interest amongst the workforce to provide a better experience for our patients.”
— Dr. Sandra Scott [01:16]

Addressing Workforce Challenges

Turning to current industry challenges, Dr. Scott highlights workforce engagement and retention as pivotal concerns:

“One of the significant challenges that we're all facing is having an engaged workforce, having the right amount of workforce that we need to get the job done and to ensure that there's a beautiful experience for both our employees and the people that we serve.”
— Dr. Sandra Scott [02:05]

To tackle these issues, One Brooklyn Health is exploring innovative care delivery methods, particularly leveraging artificial intelligence and technology to support and enhance the workforce.

“I think that one of the things that we're highly focused on is making sure that we think about ways to provide care in an innovative way. I know that AI and technology is a big topic and we're thinking about how can we use technology to enhance our workforce.”
— Dr. Sandra Scott [02:05]

Vision for the Future Workforce

Looking ahead, Dr. Scott envisions a transformative integration of technology within the healthcare workforce:

“One of my fantasies is that there is a robot next to a care provider and that robot becomes another part of the team. And it sounds a bit fantastical, but I believe it's going to happen.”
— Dr. Sandra Scott [02:59]

She emphasizes the importance of addressing frontline staff concerns about technological integration, fostering a collaborative environment where technology complements human care providers to achieve better health outcomes.

“Technology will ultimately replace some tasks that humans do today. But I think we can envision a future where technology and the human care provider are a united team that generates better health outcomes for the people that we serve.”
— Dr. Sandra Scott [03:16]

Leadership Insights

Concluding the discussion, Dr. Scott shares a profound leadership lesson rooted in her background in psychology:

“Every day I'm surprised by how much positivity can come from understanding human beings. I was actually a psychology major in college, which was a long time ago. And even as a young student, I understood that psychology and understanding how the human mind works, understanding how to motivate people, how to encourage people to find their purpose, makes a difference.”
— Dr. Sandra Scott [03:59]

She underscores the significance of empathy and psychological insight in leadership, highlighting how these elements drive successful team dynamics and organizational outcomes.

Conclusion

Dr. Sandra Scott's tenure at One Brooklyn Health exemplifies a dedication to enhancing patient experiences, addressing workforce challenges through innovation, and embodying empathetic leadership. Her visionary approach towards integrating technology with human care promises a future where healthcare delivery is both efficient and compassionate. This episode offers valuable perspectives for healthcare professionals and leaders aiming to navigate and shape the evolving landscape of the industry.

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For more episodes of the Becker's Healthcare Podcast and insights from industry leaders, visit Becker's Healthcare.

Transcript

[A]

At Insight Global Health, we are dedicated to helping you and improving healthcare for everyone. That means building stronger teams and delivering sustainable solutions that truly make a difference. We offer a full spectrum of talent and technical services and deliver cross industry expertise to bring you innovative best practices to solve the problems that we face in healthcare. We're not just promising you results, we are delivering them. Visit [e-mail] this is Gracelyn Keller with.

[B]

The Beckers Healthcare podcast and we are live at the 15th annual meeting. I'm currently joined by Sandra Scott, who serves as the interim CEO at One Brooklyn Health. Thanks so much for being here. Would love to have you start off by introducing yourself, telling us a little bit more about your background in healthcare and your organization.

[C]

Absolutely. Thank you for having me. So I am an emergency physician. I rose up in healthcare as a physician leader, became the executive director of Brookdale Hospital, which is our tertiary hospital within the One Brooklyn Health System, and was appointed the interim CEO of the system in January of 2024.

[B]

Wonderful. Well, thanks for taking the time and let's start our conversation within the last 12 months or so. What's an initiative you've taken on that you are particularly proud of and how has this impacted your organization?

[C]

So we have focused on the patient experience and I know that that is a major struggle for a lot of organ, particularly in New York State. We have some of the lowest patient experience scores across the country, unfortunately, a lot of challenges and meeting patients needs and expectations. So we've launched an initiative along with our labor partners to ensure that we give our staff the tools that they need to provide the best possible patient experience. And we're on a very long journey. But I'm excited that there's enthusiasm and interest amongst the workforce to provide a better experience for our patients.

[B]

Absolutely. And kind of on the flip side of that, what is the most significant challenge you're currently facing in the healthcare industry and how is your organization addressing this?

[C]

So one of the significant challenges that we're all facing is workforce having an engaged workforce, having the right amount of workforce that we need to get the job done and to ensure that there's a beautiful experience for both our employees and the people that we serve. And, and so I think that one of the things that we're highly focused on is making sure that we think about ways to provide care in an innovative way. I know that AI and technology is a big topic and we're thinking about how can we use technology to enhance our workforce.

[B]

Absolutely. And that's a great segue to my next question, which looking toward the future, I'd love to see what you hope the workforce will look like in the next five to 10 years. And how's your organization preparing for this future?

[C]

So one of my fantasies is that there is a robot next to a care provider and that robot becomes another part of the team. And it sounds a bit fantastical, but I believe it's going to happen.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And so what I'm trying to do is start to have conversations to allay the fears of the frontline staff about working alongside technology. Right. So technology will ultimately replace some tasks that humans do today. But I think we can envision a future where technology, the human care provider or a united team that generates better health outcomes for the people that we serve.

[B]

Absolutely. And I don't think that future is too far off, to be honest. Well, as we wrap our conversation up, I'd love to touch on leadership. What is a big leadership lesson you're currently learning or recently learned that you'd like to share with us?

[C]

Well, every day I'm surprised by how much positivity can come from understanding human beings. And I've spent a lot of time. I was actually a psychology major in college, which was a long time ago. And even as a young student, I understood that psychology and understanding how the human mind works, understanding how to motivate people, how to encourage people to find their purpose, makes a difference. And as I've excelled as a leader, that becomes more and more important in order for me to have the outcomes that I'd like to see.

[B]

Awesome. Well, thank you so much for joining me today on the Beckers Healthcare Podcast. Again, we are recording live at the 15th annual meeting.