Podcast Summary

Podcast: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Episode: Expanding Behavioral Health and Strengthening Pediatric Care at Dayton Children's with Ben Goodstein
Date: February 18, 2026
Host: Chris Sosa
Guest: Ben Goodstein, Vice President and Chief Ambulatory Officer, Dayton Children's Hospital

Episode Overview

This episode features a conversation with Ben Goodstein, exploring the latest initiatives at Dayton Children's Hospital. The discussion centers on the hospital's landmark investments in behavioral health, strategies for workforce engagement and retention, operational challenges, and future growth opportunities amid industry headwinds.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Dayton Children's Hospital

• Scope & Uniqueness (00:22):
  • 230-bed facility; among the smallest standalone independent children’s hospitals in America.
  • Operates in an exceptionally competitive pediatric market—one of six children’s hospitals in Ohio, plus two in nearby Indianapolis.

2. Major 2025 Initiative: Behavioral Health Expansion

Ben Goodstein details the most significant project Dayton Children’s completed in 2025—expanding their behavioral health services.

• Investment & New Hospital (01:07–03:58):

  • $180 million investment culminating in the opening of a new behavioral health hospital on August 13, 2025.
  • Features:
    • 48-bed standalone facility
    • 12-bed crisis center
    • Day treatment and bridge programs, plus psychiatry and psychology integrated on site
  • Distribution of therapists to 19–20 satellite sites, broadening community access to therapy.

• Support & Community Partnership:

  • State contributed $25 million.
  • $10 million philanthropic grant from the Matteo family, former owners of Vimes Dog Food.
  • The building is named the Mattel Center for Health and Wellness.

• Rapid Capacity & Community Need:

  • “Since we opened in August, we expected a slow ramp up. We’ve been at 90% or 95% capacity since the day we opened.” – Ben Goodstein (02:33)
  • Outpaced expectations; inpatient beds operate nearly full, signaling overwhelming community need.

• Financial Impact:

  • 50/50 payer mix on the inpatient unit.
  • Profitable operations fund wider behavioral health network activities.

• Innovations in Care Delivery:

  • Integrated primary care: Psychologists and psychiatrists work alongside primary care providers, upskilling them and allowing clinics to offer on-site behavioral health therapy.
  • “Our readmission rates in that behavioral health 48-bed unit right now is less than 12%, which is really good for behavioral health.” (03:41)

• Community Coordination:

  • Use of warm hand-offs to ensure patients continue care with appropriate mental health professionals upon discharge.

3. Lessons Learned from Behavioral Health Launch

• Operational Hiccups (04:15–05:29):
  • Transitioning patients between main hospital and new behavioral health facility brought unforeseen complexity.
  • High number of transfers, especially for patients with both behavioral and medical needs (over 200 transfers in first 45 days).
  • “We’re never going to be perfect at this… but we’re learning and moving forward positively from each one of these little hiccups that we’ve found.” – Ben Goodstein (05:12)

4. Current Priorities & Challenges for 2026

• Workforce Management (05:53–08:48):

  • Focused on recruitment and—especially—retention of subspecialty providers.
  • “I think the retention is the most important thing.” (05:59)
  • High provider engagement rates (96.5–98% over last 6 years).
  • 2025 AMA Gold Award for provider engagement; only pediatric hospital in Ohio to receive it.
  • Strategies include emphasizing provider wellness, offering “pajama time,” and utilizing AI tools for provider efficiency.
  • Critical staffing needs: Pharmacy techs, surgical techs, respiratory therapists, x-ray techs, ultrasound techs, and nurses.

• Culture and Recognition:

  • Leadership index: 4.78/5 via Press Ganey.
  • “That kind of culture and that kind of relationships really have moved us forward.” (08:28)

• Primary Care Alignment:

  • Collaborating agreements with most pediatric practices.
  • Integration streamlines operations, ensuring seamless referrals and care transitions.

• Access to Care:

  • Expanding accessibility for both primary and subspecialty care, aiming to serve regionally and prevent patients from seeking care outside Dayton.

5. Hardest Task for the Year Ahead

• Budgetary Constraints (09:13–10:08):

  • “It’s budget.” – Ben Goodstein (09:13)
  • Political uncertainties and potential changes at federal/state level impact funding (e.g., 340B program status, Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement).
  • Rapid pace of recruiting physicians consumes capital quickly.

• Quote Highlight:

  • “At the rate that we’re recruiting docs, we’re running out of capital pretty fast.” (09:56)
  • Not insurmountable, but presents significant challenges.

6. Outlook: Growth Opportunities

• Organizational Growth (10:31–11:11):
  • Anticipation of a new C-suite leader; focus will be on:
    • Cultural alignment and protecting engagement/trust-centered culture
    • Growth in core market competitive specialties and primary care network expansion
    • Continued investment and development in behavioral health, balancing community needs with financial sustainability

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Since we opened in August, we expected a slow ramp up. We’ve been at 90% or 95% capacity since the day we opened.” (02:33)
• “Our readmission rates in that behavioral health 48-bed unit right now is less than 12%, which is really good for behavioral health.” (03:41)
• “We’re never going to be perfect at this… but we’re learning and moving forward positively from each one of these little hiccups that we’ve found.” (05:12)
• “For the last five years at Dayton Children's...our engagement rates range from 96.5 to 98 for the last six years.” (06:15)
• “At the rate that we’re recruiting docs, we’re running out of capital pretty fast.” (09:56)

Timeline of Key Segments

• 00:22: Introduction to Dayton Children’s and its unique place in a competitive market
• 01:07–03:58: Behavioral health hospital launch and results
• 04:15–05:29: Lessons learned from operational transitions
• 05:53–08:48: Workforce, retention, culture, and access priorities for 2026
• 09:13–10:08: Budgetary constraints and funding challenges
• 10:31–11:11: Organizational growth and areas of strategic focus

Tone and Style

Ben Goodstein’s tone is direct, transparent, and community-oriented—emphasizing innovation, continual improvement, and dedicating resources where the need is greatest. The focus remains on patient access, provider engagement, and community partnership throughout.

Summary

Dayton Children's is boldly addressing behavioral health needs by launching a new, full-spectrum facility and integrating mental health services into primary care. The hospital’s leadership touts excellent staff engagement and culture, but faces resource and operational hurdles, particularly around funding and workforce shortages. Looking ahead, growth hinges on sustaining engagement through leadership transitions and maintaining a sharp focus on both primary and specialty care network expansion.