Becker’s Healthcare Podcast: “Expanding Access and Innovation at BJC Health with CFO Scott Hawig”

Date: February 28, 2026
Host: Madeline, Becker's Healthcare
Guest: Scott Hawig, Executive Vice President and CFO, BJC Health

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the evolution, challenges, and opportunities facing BJC Health from the perspective of its relatively new CFO, Scott Hawig. The conversation explores themes such as access to care, organizational rebranding, industry innovation, and the changing role of healthcare finance leaders. Scott shares his insights into how BJC is addressing significant healthcare trends while fostering resilience and engagement within its finance team.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Scott Hawig and BJC Health

• Scott’s Background: New to BJC Health as of September 2025, previously in the Midwest healthcare sector [01:02].
• BJC Health Overview:
  • 14 hospitals
  • $12 billion system
  • Serves patients across Kansas, Missouri, and Southern Illinois
  • Known for quality care

“Really excited to be part of this team and, and part of the mission that they serve.” – Scott Hawig [01:21]

2. Organizational Rebranding & Strategic Merger

• Rebranding:
  • Shifted from “BJC Healthcare” to “BJC Health” for unified messaging and cultural cohesion [02:05].
• 2024 Merger: Recently merged with St. Luke's, expanding reach and service capabilities.
• Singular Identity:
  • Importance of clarity for patients regardless of which BJC location they visit

“It was really ... the rallying cry on identifying who we are regardless of what location you come to see us in.” – Scott Hawig [02:22]

3. Industry Challenges: The Primacy of Access

• Top Trend: Access is Scott’s main priority above all other industry pressures [03:20].
• Rising Demand:
  • Higher community acuity levels
  • Financial, regulatory, and staffing pressures are all viewed through the “prism of rising demand.”
• Access as a Catalyst:
  • Drives quality, satisfaction, and consumer-oriented care

“The headliner for me is Access. We have overwhelming demand for our services.” – Scott Hawig [03:22]

4. BJC’s Strategies to Enhance Access & Innovation

• Region-Specific Solutions:
  • Access strategies are tailored by geography (rural vs. urban) [04:35].
  • Deployment models differ for primary/virtual care
• Technological & Process Innovation:
  • Early adoption of eICU and critical care monitoring [05:15]
  • Expansion enabled through innovative platforms and virtual solutions
• Freestanding Emergency Departments (EDs):
  • “Micro hospital” strategy, especially in St. Luke’s/Kansas City region [05:53]
  • High throughput, rapid access (10-15 min), improved patient satisfaction
  • Considers this as a pilot for broader deployment

“The patient satisfaction for that experience is really, you know, has shown us a lot…” – Scott Hawig [06:15]

5. Aging Population as a Central Concern

• Demographic Shifts:
  • Increasing proportion of elderly patients in the Midwest
  • Adjusting deployment strategies accordingly [07:01]

“It is kind of central to how we think about deploying service and that consumerism ... for that customer.” – Scott Hawig [07:21]

6. Building a Resilient, Connected Finance Team

• Post-COVID Adaptations:
  • Remote/hybrid work widespread
  • Keeping staff engaged by directly connecting finance roles to the mission [07:47]
• Bridging Mission Gap:
  • Finance staff visit clinical sites, see operations first-hand, talk to care teams (e.g., for capital projects)
  • Importance of transparency and ongoing communication about industry challenges

“If we can’t solve it, who can? And so playing in that message too, I think is important.” – Scott Hawig [08:47]

7. Evolution of the CFO Role

• From Number Cruncher to Business Operator:
  • CFOs increasingly serve as “COOs in training” with responsibilities far beyond accounting [09:23]
  • Involvement spans managed care, supply chain, reimbursement, and the business/clinical interface
  • Focus on financial education/translation for operators, and two-way feedback

“It’s really that operator ... understanding the business. In times we provide education... then a lot of times we’re hearing feedback from the operators.” – Scott Hawig [09:50]

8. Looking Forward: Research, Innovation, and Optimism

• Academic Partnerships:
  • Emphasizes research relationships with major academic partners (e.g., Washington University, St. Luke’s in Kansas City) [10:49]
• Breakthroughs in Care:
  • Advances in genomics, less invasive cancer treatments
  • Moving toward potential cures rather than only treating symptoms

“It provides a way to think about all those challenges ... how they could be solvable. And in many cases, we're talking about cure, not just treating symptoms.” – Scott Hawig [11:37]

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• On BJC’s Identity Post-Rebrand [02:22]:
  “It was really ... the rallying cry on identifying who we are regardless of what location you come to see us in.”
• On Patient Access [03:22]:
  “The headliner for me is Access. We have overwhelming demand for our services.”
• On Innovative ED Models [06:15]:
  “The patient satisfaction for that experience is really, you know, has shown us a lot…”
• On Finance Team Engagement [08:47]:
  “If we can’t solve it, who can? And so playing in that message too, I think is important.”
• On the Evolving CFO Role [09:50]:
  “It’s really that operator ... understanding the business. In times we provide education... then a lot of times we’re hearing feedback from the operators.”
• On the Future of Research at BJC [11:37]:
  “It provides a way to think about all those challenges ... how they could be solvable. And in many cases, we're talking about cure, not just treating symptoms.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:02] Scott Hawig’s introduction and BJC overview
• [02:05] Discussion of rebranding and St. Luke’s merger
• [03:20] BJC’s focus on access to care; industry-wide access challenges
• [04:35] How BJC customizes access strategies for different regions
• [05:53] Freestanding ED/micro-hospital innovation and patient satisfaction
• [07:01] Responding to aging patient demographics
• [07:47] Fostering resilient, mission-connected finance teams
• [09:23] How the CFO role has changed in recent years
• [10:49] Excitement for BJC’s research and innovation partnerships

Conclusion

Through Scott Hawig’s fresh perspective, this episode offers insight into how BJC Health is navigating industry headwinds by prioritizing access, embracing innovation, and adapting its leadership and workforce strategies. With an eye toward research-led breakthroughs and operational excellence, BJC Health continues to position itself as a leader in shaping the future of healthcare delivery.