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Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Kurt Strudwick, System AVP of Operations for the Cardiovascular Service Line at Virtua Health
00:23:22
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- [00:00]
A
This is Laura Dardo with the Beckers Healthcare Podcast. I'm thrilled today to be joined by Curt Strudwick, system assistant Vice President of operations for the cardiovascular service line at Virtual Health. Kurt, it's a pleasure to have you on the podcast today.
- [00:14]
B
Absolutely. Thank you again for having me, Laura. I always appreciate opportunities like this to connect and hopefully offer something useful to others leading in this space and navigating some of the same complexities within this healthcare industry. So I'm glad to be a part of this conversation.
- [00:31]
A
Yeah, absolutely. And we're excited to have you here. I know a lot is happening in the healthcare space and particularly you're doing some cool things at Virtual Health. So it'll be great to dig into those a little bit. But before we do, can you introduce yourself and just tell us a little bit about the cardiovascular service line?
- [00:46]
B
Absolutely. So I'm Kurt Strudvik, and I serve as the assistant Vice president of operations for the cardiovascular service line at Retro Health. Like many people in healthcare leadership, I actually started on the clinical side. But pretty early on, I found myself fascinated by just the overall bigger picture. How systems work, how do teams align, and how leadership can create the kind of structure that lets people thrive and patients feel genuinely cared for. So that's really what pulled me towards operations. I wanted to be part of shaping environment where I can have a greater impact on the quality of care provided. So along the way, I've had the opportunity to study at places like Harvard Business School, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Miami. And those weren't just executive programs focused on strategy or operations, although those elements were certainly there. What really stood out to me was how much emphasis was placed on the human side of leadership. So emotional intelligence, psychological safety, clarity, those are the things that really do shape culture within the organization. So that's where I really leaned into exploring how to lead not just effectively, but also meaningfully, especially in a high pressure environment like the health care industry. So, a little bit about Virtua. Virtual Health is a not for profit academic health system based in southern New Jersey. We have five acute care hospitals, two satellite emergency departments, and more than 400 care sites across the region. So that includes ambulatory surgery centers, physician practices, urgent care, and several others. But I will say what really sets Virture apart is the culture. We're deeply mission driven and our entire organization is really aligned around helping people be well, get well and stay well. And that commitment really goes beyond the hospital walls, whether it's through community health initiatives or different virtual care models. Or home based programs. At Virtual, we're constantly rethinking what access and quality looks like within our cardiovascular service line. We've built a system that covers everything from prevention and diagnostics to advanced procedures in interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, structural heart, vascular care, and advanced heart failure. And my role touches every piece of that puzzle. Operationally, I actually help oversee system wide operations across the entire spectrum.
- [03:27]
A
That's amazing to hear. You know, what a huge accountability. To look at all of the responsibilities that you have with cardiovascular care across the system is just fascinating to hear your career journey and then, you know, how you're able to see what's evolving within the health care space and really meet the needs of patients today. So from your perspective, what does it take to lead a complex service line? What goes into that? And you know, how do you keep your finger on the pulse of all the changes happening in the healthcare space?
- [03:55]
B
That's a great question. And you know, with healthcare being so dynamic, leading a service line today looks much different than it did even a few years ago. So I'd say leading a service line today is more about balance. You have to be strategic, but you also have to stay connected to what's happening on the ground. You need a clear vision, but also the flexibility to shift when things change. And as we all know, they're constantly changing in health care. So for me, it really starts with structure. You definitely need clarity in this environment. With so many competing priorities, our teams need to know what matters most. When people understand the why behind the work, then they operate with more intention. And I think as leaders, we have to make sure our teams see how their work connects to the overall bigger picture. So I've also learned that structure alone doesn't move people, so connection is just as critical. You can't lead from behind a desk. You have to be visible, you have to be present, and you have to build real relationships across every layer of the organization, whether it's clinical, financial, supply chain, it. We really all have a role in making the system work. And the more connected that we are, the better we collaborate, the faster that we can course correct when something isn't working. And I think going back to what I mentioned earlier, emotional intelligence is a huge piece. Healthcare is incredibly demanding and it takes a toll. If your team doesn't feel safe, if your team doesn't feel supported and heard, you're ultimately gonna see disengagement. And I think that's where emotional intelligence and psychological safety goes hand in hand. You know, psychological safety, I think it's an essential in this climate when people feel safe enough to speak up, you know, challenge assumptions and be honest about what's working, that's when you really see change happen. You know, recently I was on LinkedIn and someone shared a framework that really stuck with me and I figured I would mention it today. It was a different take on KPIs. So instead of key performance indicators, it actually challenged leaders to think about how we keep people informed, keep people interested, keep people involved, and keep people inspired. And that really resonated with me because when people feel informed, they understand the direction. When they're interested, they're engaged. When they're involved, they actually take ownership. And when they're inspired, they push for more. Not because they're told to, but because they actually want and they're invested. And I just think the best leaders I've worked with are not just focused on metrics, they're focused on the meaning. They help create environments where people feel proud of the work that they do and supported in doing it. And that's really the leadership style I try to bring to my role every day.
- [06:55]
A
I love that. And it's so inspiring to hear you talk about how you approach your role in being a connective tissue between so many different departments within the organization and then taking that into your teams and engaging them and keeping them interested in a meaningful way. And something that you just said struck me in terms of looking at metrics. Of course they're important, but how do you really create that ownership mindset within your team so that you've got that supportive environment and you've got that space where, you know, they feel safe and comfortable moving forward while also continuing to see the level of care elevate.
- [07:32]
B
You know, that's a. That's a good question. And I think that owner ownership really starts with parity, trust, and like I said, building that connection first. People really have to understand the why. You know, with my team, if I'm going to ask someone to take responsibility for something, I think they need to see how it really ties into the bigger picture. I always try to connect the work to purpose. When people see their fingerprints on the outcome, they do show up differently. And I think as leaders, it's important for us to just support and validate them. You really have to create space for people to lead in their respective lanes. And in my experience, I've learned that if you want ownership, you have to be willing to let go of control to an extent. That means sharing the responsibility, giving people real responsibility, and not just tasks and actually trusting them and guiding them to run with it. I've learned to stay available for support and not focus on micromanaging because I do think that people need room to think and solve and even fail safely if they're going to grow into leaders themselves.
- [08:44]
A
Absolutely. I think that's such a great point and appreciate your candidness. Now, can you tell us about the most impactful project or initiative from the last year? What did you do and what were the results?
- [08:55]
B
Absolutely. This question is hard to pick just one. But I will say that one initiative that ultimately has had a real ripple effect has been the work that we've done to expand access to advanced cardiovascular care in the regional, particularly in structural heart and in our advanced heart failure program. It really hasn't been just about adding more services. It's been about removing the barriers and making the care journey more efficient, helping patients get what they need, when they need it, without having to leave their community, the South Jersey community. Our structural heart program, for example, particular TAVR program, has been a huge focus. Tavr, which is transcatheter aortic valve replacement, is a less invasive alternative to open heart surgery for patients with severe aortic stenosis. While we recognize that our outcomes were great, like many programs, we found that there was opportunity to enhance the patient journey. We mapped the whole process from referral to procedure and we worked closely with our care teams and the multidisciplinary team to remove delays and really make it easier for both patients and the providers. At the same time, we made significant progress in our advanced heart failure program, especially with our VAD program. So that is a ventricular assist device. And these patients are complex. They're people who are living with end stage heart failure who might not have had the access to this level of care locally before and now they can. So we've expanded the program and grown the care team and really made it possible for patients to stay close to home and still get this world class, highly specialized care. And I think that's a big deal for this community and not just for outcomes, but for really the emotional and the logistical side of healthcare. Families don't have to travel long distances anymore. Patients get the continuity with them, continuity with the providers they trust. And referring physicians know their patients are being taken care of within the virtual health system. So what I love most about these initiatives is that they're not just about growth, they're about access and equity. The impact isn't just in numbers, it's really in the story. So you know when, when I see patients come back and, and here it's the, it's the family that doesn't have to travel two hours to see their loved ones or it's the patient who's able to get back on their feet faster and get back to a normal life because we're able to treat them here and eliminate unnecessary delays in their care.
- [11:38]
A
That's amazing to hear and what a great resource for the community having these types of services there for them so they don't have to travel and they can really spend that time with their families and just it seems like a really great space to be in. And I'm curious, in growing the TABIT program, what did you learn along the way? Way, I know you talked about, you know, wanting to create an environment where you can try new things and really figure out how you're going to operate it the best way possible. And so is there anything, I guess, advice that you would have for other organizations who are going through the same journey?
- [12:14]
B
So I think something that I've learned is, you know, the, it's important to have that diet relationship. And I think that clinical excellence is really only one component of, of the equation. You need to work hand in hand with your administrators so you can have the best positions and you can have the most advanced, advanced technologies, but if your processes are fragmented, if your teams aren't aligned, you really end up limiting the program. So one of the biggest lessons for me was just how important it is to kind of like zoom out before you zoom in. For us, we kind of took a step back, mapped the entire journey and also follow up was important with the patient. So the feedback that they provided, we took all of that into consideration and that's really where the insights came from. We identified barriers that weren't clinical, some communication, some handoff, delays in scheduling, research, stuff like that. And once we saw that clearly, we were able to bring the right people together to start fixing that flow. And I think that reinforces the power of cross functional collaboration within the healthcare industry.
- [13:29]
A
That makes a lot of sense. And thank you for going one bit deeper there. I'm curious, how do you see the cardiovascular service line continuing to evolve?
- [13:38]
B
So we're definitely moving into a new era of cardiovascular care for sure, but I think it's definitely an exciting one. I'd say care is definitely becoming more proactive. So we're moving away from waiting until someone shows up in crisis and shifting towards earlier detection, earlier intervention, and more preventative measures with things like wearable technology, remote patient monitoring and we're starting to see more of the AI assisted diagnostics that allows us to identify risks sooner and allows our providers to act faster. And that really changes everything from the patient experience, ultimately long term outcomes. And I think that we're also seeing more of a focus on integration. We can't function in silos anymore. I think that it has to be connected across specialties, across different settings and even across different organizations. And that's what we're trying to build now, systems that really make it easy for patients to move through their care journey without any unnecessary friction and really designing our pathways to reduce fragmentation and support that continuity of care. And I think that we'll also see this shift towards more value based care. As healthcare organizations across the nation, we're being asked to demonstrate value in a different way now, not just through volume or complex procedures, but really through long term results. Are we preventing readmissions? Are we really improving quality of life? Are we helping patients manage their conditions effectively? I think those are the metrics that you'll see will really matter going forward. And that's, I know, at Virtua, helping us to build stronger partnerships across our system. And I think I can't end this conversation or this question without talking about equity. You know, we really have to be honest that access is still not where it should be. We are focused on expanding our footprint, making virtual care available, creating different care models that are designed to meet people where they're at, not just where the hospital. That includes partnerships with community based organizations, as I mentioned before, redesigning care models and finding out what the barriers are and trying to remove them. So I think the future is going to not just be defined how advanced the care is, but true accessibility. And I'm going to go back and say the human centered approach to healthcare.
- [16:22]
A
Absolutely. That's amazing to hear and definitely so much to think about within the space. It's nice to know that care is becoming more connected and less fragmented and at the same time just so much, so much space to continue to evolve and grow. So I appreciate your thoughts here and truly will be excited to see how things continue to accelerate and become more patient centric.
- [16:49]
B
You and I both.
- [16:53]
A
Before we wrap up here, I wanted to just ask what are the challenges and opportunities that you see ahead, especially for such an important service as cardiovascular care?
- [17:03]
B
Absolutely. This is something I think about in my role very often. With all the complexities in the healthcare industry, I'm sure everyone can imagine there are many challenges, but I think as leaders, when we identify these challenges, it allows us to see these as our biggest opportunities. I'm pretty sure when I talk about workforce sustainability, I'll have many people that agree. That's really top of mind for all of us. But this isn't new. I think it's becoming more urgent because our teams have been through so much over the past few years with COVID staffing shortages, changes in the workforce, changes in expectations, and I think now more than ever, this generation of workers are looking for meaning and stability in the work that they do. You know, a lot of them are burnt out and they want to feel supported, they want opportunities to grow, and they want to be part of something that matters and understand how they're contributing to the bigger picture. I think that's why, you know, as leaders, it's important to invest so much energy into leadership development and really focusing on career advancement pathways and enhancing workplace culture. So at Virtual, we're taking a step back and looking at the full picture. Investing in leadership pipelines and building career paths that show people a future with virtua for the long term. Redesigning different staffing models so that teams can really operate at the top of their license and focus on what truly matters. We're creating a culture where people feel seen, heard, safe. And I think because in healthcare, people are constantly being asked to operate under pressure. If they don't feel safe to speak up or share concerns, that creates silence and ultimately silence will slow progress. And when people feel safe to speak up and challenge that status quo, that's when true trust is built. And I personally believe that trust is a foundation of high performance. Of course, I can't go without saying that financial pressure is another challenge that we as administrators and healthcare workers in general, we just can't ignore it because it's the reality. Margins are tight, costs are rising, and systems across the country are being forced to make tough decisions. But as I mentioned, I see this as a moment to reset and see this as an opportunity. As a leader. And we really have to take a step back and evaluate what actually creates value for our patients. Not everything that we do needs to be complex or expensive to have an impact. Sometimes simply simplifying our workflow or removing a redundant step in our process can have just as much of an effect as adding a new technology. As I mentioned, this shift towards value based care is kind of helping us accelerate this thinking. Instead of just focusing on volume, we're now being asked to look at outcomes, long term health, the quality of life, the total cost of health care. And I think that's really Forcing us as leaders to redesign these care pathways and collaborate more closely with primary care community organizations and being more data driven and, you know, using that data to be more predictive in how we manage risk within the organization. And then there's the human side of this. So, you know, the leadership style, we're really in a moment that calls for a different kind of leadership, you know, one that's transparent and deeply connected to the people doing the work and the frontline workers. What I've learned, Laura, is our teams don't need us to have all the answers as leaders. They need us to listen. They need us to stay steady and to remind them that the bigger picture, or there's a bigger picture and what the bigger picture is and the overall purpose behind the day to day activities when they lose sight of that. So I believe that the organizations that will thrive in the future aren't necessarily the ones with the most resources, but they're the ones where all employees understand the mission. They have the clearest sense of purpose and the strongest culture with an adaptable mindset and a flexible mindset. And I think that's what keeps me most hopeful, especially working with an organization like Virtua, even in the face of some, some real upcoming challenges within the health care sector.
- [21:54]
A
Absolutely. That's such an inspiring way to put it. And certainly looking at, as you mentioned, some of the big challenges, whether it's financial or other areas that present roadblocks for providing the type of care that you need, truly being able to have the right team in place and people who believe in the mission and are all working towards the same goals can make a big difference in just expanding that care and access to care. And so I really appreciate that. And all your thoughts on culture are fascinating to hear and certainly spaces that are truly important today. In another thing you mentioned just really stood out to me is those organizations that will thrive in the future aren't necessarily ones with the most resources, but where the employees understand their clear mission and purpose, that adaptive culture and mindset. So I wanted to underscore that because I think it's such a key takeaway for anyone listening to this podcast and all leaders in healthcare to understand that the financial resources aren't always a rate limiting factor. But truly you can still thrive if you've got the right people and leaders in the right spots. So I appreciate that very much.
- [23:03]
B
Absolutely.
- [23:04]
A
Excellent. Well, Kurt, thank you so much for your time today. I think it's been great to speak with you and learn more about what you're doing. At Virtua, and I look forward to connecting with you again soon.
- [23:12]
B
Thanks again, Lara. You know, like I said before, these conversations matter, so I'm just grateful to be a part of it. And I look forward to talking to you soon.