Podcast Summary: Driving Quality, Access, and Strategic Partnerships at Naples Comprehensive Health with Paul Hiltz

Podcast: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Host: Laura Dearda
Guest: Paul Hiltz, President & CEO, Naples Comprehensive Health
Release Date: March 3, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Laura Dearda interviews Paul Hiltz, President and CEO of Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH), about driving quality, expanding patient access, and cultivating strategic partnerships within a rapidly-growing, independent health system. The discussion explores NCH’s significant growth, focus on maintaining high standards of care, and investing in physician and leadership development to meet the evolving needs of both patients and staff in Southwest Florida.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background & Growth of Naples Comprehensive Health

• Hiltz’s Experience in Healthcare Leadership

  • CEO at NCH for 6 years; prior experience as CEO in Bon Secours Mercy system in Ohio. (01:05)
  • Enjoys the dynamic healthcare environment in Southwest Florida.

• NCH’s Unique Position and Recent Growth

  • Organization doubled in size in five years, with net revenue increasing from $600 million to over $1 billion. (01:40)
  • Stands out as one of the few independent, nonprofit, locally governed health systems in the US.
  • Comprehensive services including robust labor & delivery, strong cardiovascular service, and a new orthopedic hospital in collaboration with Hospital for Special Surgery. (01:40–02:41)

“We pride ourselves in being independent and locally governed by a very strong and effective board of trustees and a really great management team here.”
— Paul Hiltz (01:48)

2. Quality and Access: Top Priorities

• Emphasis on Quality

  • NCH recognized as one of the top 50 hospitals in the US based on quality metrics. (02:57)
  • Benchmarking against other leading health systems.

• Making Access Easier

  • Investment in a call center managing 20,000 calls weekly.
  • Developed a digital front door for self-scheduling using Epic.
  • Focus on seamless access for both patients and partner concierge physicians. (04:03–04:39)

“We really have focused in on making it easier for patients to access their doctors, to access outpatient care, and to make sure that if they need inpatient care, we can accommodate just about everything...”
— Paul Hiltz (03:09)

3. Strategic Partnerships & Community Integration

• Recent Partnerships
  • Opened a premier orthopedic hospital with HSS.
  • Collaborations with Northwestern Medicine (Chicago) and Nicholas Children’s (Miami).
  • In discussions to support a new medical school in Southwest Florida. (04:55)
• Philosophy of Partnership
  • Believes partnerships accelerate strength and service capacity compared to going it alone.

“Partnering is a key thing for us. We think that partnerships can make us stronger, faster than trying to do everything on our own.”
— Paul Hiltz (05:18)

4. Leadership Development & Organizational Culture

• Developing Physician Leadership
  • Physician Leadership Academy just graduated its third cohort, focusing on preparing clinicians for clinical and business leadership. (06:14)
• Broader Leadership Initiatives
  • President’s Forum targets development for managerial and early-career leaders in healthcare.
  • Recognition that effective future healthcare delivery requires more and better leadership, especially in collaboration.
• Physician Engagement Techniques
  • Leadership rounding: executives, including Hiltz, shadow frontline physicians to “lead by listening.” (07:49)
  • Unique team-building: last session of the Physician Leadership program held at the Blue Angels training facility, teaching doctors high-performance teamwork. (07:49–08:49)

“We want to make this a place where doctors and nurses can enjoy practicing their profession.”
— Paul Hiltz (07:08)

“We trained doctors how to work in teams like the Blue Angel demonstration pilots do. And that was a very popular and very exciting day to spend with our doctor leaders.”
— Paul Hiltz (08:25)

5. Advice for Aspiring Healthcare Leaders

• Emphasizes the benefits and opportunities in healthcare.
• Recommends developing teamwork and interpersonal skills; values hires with experience in sports teams or civic groups.
• Trust and collaboration are cornerstones for building effective teams.

“We emphasize teamwork here at all levels. So I would say work on interpersonal skills and teamwork skills. That's the advice I give young people today—get involved in a leadership role in some team-based activity and it will always serve you for the future.”
— Paul Hiltz (09:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On culture and growth:
  “We pride ourselves in being independent and locally governed by a very strong and effective board of trustees and a really great management team here.” (01:48)

• On partnerships:
  “Partnering is a key thing for us. We think that partnerships can make us stronger, faster than trying to do everything on our own.” (05:18)

• On leadership development:
  “We trained doctors how to work in teams like the Blue Angel demonstration pilots do. And that was a very popular and very exciting day to spend with our doctor leaders.” (08:25)

• On career advice:
  “Get involved in a leadership role in some team-based activity and it will always serve you for the future.” (09:30)

Timeline of Important Segments

• [01:05] — Paul Hiltz describes his background and transition to Naples Comprehensive Health.
• [01:40] — Details NCH’s independent structure, growth, and services.
• [02:57] — Focus on quality recognition and access initiatives.
• [04:03] — Tools for tracking accountability: customer service, digital solutions, call center.
• [04:55] — Recent partnerships and future plans, including a new medical school collaboration.
• [06:14] — Discussion of culture-building, physician leadership, and leadership development programs.
• [07:49] — Leadership rounding and team-building innovations with doctors.
• [09:11] — Hiltz’s advice for current and aspiring healthcare leaders.

Conclusion

This episode offers valuable insights into how a rapidly growing health system can successfully balance quality, access, culture, and partnerships. Paul Hiltz’s leadership philosophy centers around empowering teams, listening to clinicians, and forming strategic alliances to drive innovation and maintain NCH’s independent, community-focused mission. The conversation is especially relevant for healthcare leaders seeking actionable strategies for managing growth and fostering a collaborative workforce.