← Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
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- [00:00]
A
When it comes to today's rcm, we know the challenges, complexity of claims, talent shortages, low funding and lagging tech. That's why we built MedMetrics. We have the expertise and advanced tech to give you that edge on your revenue cycle. We're a partner who will relentlessly raise your yield. A partner who's on your side because they've been operator side who knows your battles and will make sure you win from start to finish, end to end. MedMetrics. Be exceptional.
- [00:30]
B
Welcome to the Becker's Healthcare Podcast. I'm Kelly Gu, senior editor and enterprise lead at Beckers, and I'm pleased to welcome Mina Gandhi, COO at Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital. Meena, thank you so much for joining us today. As leadership expectations do evolve, many of today's most effective leaders are focusing less on titles, more on trust, connection and purpose. And of course, it just 35 years old, you're among the youngest hospital CEOs in the region, overseeing operational strategy while also helping shape workplace culture at a growing community hospital. You've shared that leadership starts with being human and also the adjustments you've made over the last several years have helped you become a stronger leader. So I'm really excited to get your perspective today and in particular your top five things I know you'll share that every leader should really add to their to do list. So before we get started, Meena, could you tell us a little bit about yourself, your organization?
- [01:24]
A
Yeah, absolutely. Thanks for having me, Kelly. So again, my name is Mehta Gandhi and really excited about this chapter of my life. I'm the COO at Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital and recently relocated to Florida for this opportunity as Orlando Health expanded to the east region of Florida. So as someone that's extremely passionate about healthcare operations and leadership, this opportunity fell right in line with that passion. I've spent many years in operations really launching my career in Charlotte, North Carolina, and felt ready for this particular opportunity with Orlando Health. So as someone that's naturally curious and really loves to work with frontline teams and build a strong culture and provide quality patient care, this has been the perfect opportunity for me.
- [02:20]
B
Absolutely. And just a strong background there already. But I know you are in your role just at the age of 35, so I was curious what you learned early in your career that still guides you today.
- [02:31]
A
Yeah, so I would say starting off my career with an administrative fellowship with a large organization, you know, that gave me the perfect and ideal opportunity to really get my hands dirty and work with our frontline team, really just staying curious and seeing what's not working and what's working and how can I help, how can I help escalate some of those concerns to senior leadership and actually be a part of the change. That's something that really helped me early on as a self starter in my fellowship role. To today as chief operating officer, I lead with that same mentality. Of course, there are a lot of things that as a senior leader, I'm responsible for, but I've never lost touch with engaging with our front line and really listening and staying curious. And that's something that's really led to my success today.
- [03:27]
B
It sounds like the fellowship was such a big, big part of that. And like you said, staying connected to the front line as well. And you're in your role. And along those lines, I'm curious what has maybe surprised you most about stepping into executive leadership?
- [03:41]
A
This took some time, but, you know, really it's prioritizing myself and making sure that, you know, I'm prioritizing everything that I'm responsible for as well. But again, not los sight of taking care of myself as well. At the end of the day, we really can't fill others cups if we haven't filled our own. And that's something, you know, initially when I was really excited about stepping into healthcare operations and leadership. You know, it's easy to lose sight of because you're super, you know, excited and you're wanting to give it everything and not saying that that's a negative thing at all. But, you know, it's easy to put your own needs last. And I've learned through time that that's something that has to be a priority, especially as those responsibilities grow. So I'm a huge advocate of that. I always encourage that for anyone, not just leaders, but also our frontline team. As we know, healthcare is only getting, you know, more involved and there's a lot of challenges, so we have to prioritize ourselves.
- [04:55]
B
Yeah, I think that's, that's such good advice all the way around, like you said, especially with, with the pressures every leader is facing right now. And I understand that you also have maybe five things that you believe every leader should add to their to do list. So I thought you could go through that, that list here. We'd love to hear.
- [05:16]
A
Yeah, I'd love to share it. You know, I, I put a lot of thought into this and you know, it's something that came very organically and I'm hoping that it' could come organically to other leaders as well through time. And it's not easy but, you know, the first one would be leading is a human first. So, you know, how are we bringing our authentic selves to the workplace and building that foundation of trust with our frontline teams, especially in high pressure environments, our team isn't expecting us to have every single answer. And that's something that I've learned through time. They really just want that transparency and it means so much and go so far when we can show up consistently for them. And so building that foundation of trust can be really transformational and help our teams perform at their best. The other one I would say would be ask what's not working and act. So I mentioned really being curious from day one. That's something I've been very curious since I was a child, and that's been very fruitful for me today. But true leadership requires listening and being prepared to respond and act on what you're hearing for your teams, from your teams, because, again, that can help build that trust again. But every leader that I've seen, that actually takes time to listen, take action. It really shows our frontline teams that their voices matter and that's what helps shape a strong culture. The next one would be protecting time that grounds you. So I spoke to that a little bit earlier, but again, self care really isn't optional. It's necessary. And how are you making sure that you have some routines, even if it's a little time in the day, to where you can make sure that you're taking care of yourself, even if that's that hot cup of coffee that you enjoy in the morning or time for exercise time for a podcast. For me, that's definitely something that I've made a change for. And making sure that, you know, in the morning I can have my cup of tea and I can listen to a fun podcast or learn something or just kind of hit the reset button before I start my day. And those moments are really what help keep me grounded. It's just, again, just taking some of that time to decompress and ground myself. And again, the way that I do that really helps give me more energy to invest in others throughout each day. The next would be prioritizing meaningful connection. So, you know, I've learned this through time. Again, it's. It's so easy to be all in on your. On your leadership role and your journey and other things fall by the wayside. And that's not how it should be. You want to make sure that you're. As your responsibilities grow, you're also making sure that you're staying connected to the people that you love. You know, it takes intention and it takes making sure you're carving out some time. But take the trip, make sure you're seeing your close friends or carving out time for family and you know, that really helps sustain you and keep that energy and perspective that you need to lead effectively. I always say, even if it's a quick trip for me to go see family or friends, I come back so re energized and that's helped sustain me as a leader. And the last one would be investing in the next generation. So that's something I'm extremely passionate about. So, you know, lifting others as you climb and making sure that you're connecting with others that might be interested in healthcare or leadership roles or continuing education. We really want to make sure that we're building confidence in future leaders and developing the next generation. And that's one of the most important responsibilities that we have. I've been very fortunate to have both mentors and sponsors throughout my journey. And I sincerely always look for opportunities to give back. In that way. We know that healthcare is only getting more complex. So I'm so passionate about making sure we have strong pipelines of future leaders and that I'm supporting that. So, yeah, that would be my, my five in summary, that I've learned throughout my journey.
- [09:51]
B
Wonderful. Thank you so much, Mina, for sharing those. I, I love all that. Leading as human first and protecting time, prioritizing meaningful connection. I think all five of those are really, really could be across any organization in any leader leadership role. So thank you so much. I was wondering too, as we're talking, just how you build really that workplace culture where people feel heard, supported and motivated as well.
- [10:20]
A
Yeah, absolutely. You know, referencing back to number one on my list where it's lead as a human first. You know, again, as health care is evolving rapidly, how are we attracting and retaining our workforce? How are we connecting with our workforce? You know, one thing I was reflecting on is we've got, you know, up to four generations in the workforce right now, coming from different backgrounds, different perspectives. They want to be recognized in all different ways. And it's important, it's a new challenge that we're all, as leaders, wrapping our arms around and wanting to make sure that we're understanding so that we can sustain a strong culture again where people feel valued and supported and motivated. And so for me, it's, I want to make sure that our teams here trust our leadership and trust me as one of those leaders. Because once you develop and build that trust, everything Else becomes a little bit more organic. And again, in these high pressure environments, it helps us again build that teamwork and collaboration and everything that we need to get through the tough times. So, yeah, just being a human and being your authentic self and making sure that you're keeping transparency at the forefront.
- [11:46]
B
Absolutely. And I know you mentioned transparency, trust, a lot of factors there. And I'm curious also how you see mentorship and service shaping stronger organizations. I know that's a lot of, a lot of organizations have that of course ingrained there. So. Yeah, how do you, you see them really shaping stronger organization?
- [12:07]
A
Yeah. You know, it's so important for leaders to be involved and engaged within the workplace. Recognizing either younger leaders or any. Even if it's a newer leader or even a frontline team member that maybe wants to become a leader one day, it's important for us to recognize that establish those pipelines, take time to connect with them and also connecting with our community. It's not just what we're doing inside of our facilities, but how are we serving our community, understanding our community needs, getting involved in different ways. It really is a full circle responsibility. Not always easy, right. To juggle and handle all the things, but it's so important and it's that responsibility that we have. So I definitely see organizations that have those pipelines and that support, you know, and mentor, you know, the next generations of leaders is the ones that are going to be the most successful as well as the ones that again, are connected out there in our communities and have a deep understanding of what our community needs are. And bringing that back, it just makes us stronger. So I'm very honored to be a part of that, especially with Orlando Health.
- [13:33]
B
Absolutely. And you mentioned the, of course, the next generation I know you've been talking about. So if someone did want to get into hospital leadership, how would you suggest they get started and be successful there?
- [13:45]
A
Yeah, you know, I, I said this before about curiosity and it starts there. It really, you know, making sure that you're staying curious and asking questions, seeking out opportunities for. Even if it's shadowing opportunity, an internship opportunity. And really, again, the focus should never be just on the titles, but really what are you learning and taking back and how can you give back? And you know, the, the titles come organically through time and experience. But starting with that foundation of curiosity is everything. And also seeking out mentors and if someone doesn't have the capacity to be a mentor, even a sponsor, but who are, even if it's one or two people that can give you True, honest feedback. That's something else that's been so important for me and beneficial for me in my career is having other leaders and people in my life that can give me feedback about, you know, maybe what. How I could present differently or maybe how I could handle a situation better, or how I could be a stronger leader or give me advice about different paths, pathways in healthcare that maybe I hadn't considered because initially I didn't know myself that I would be here and I would be in healthcare or hospital operations. And it really took those mentors that have supported me and guided me. I would hope that others, whether it's an emerging leader or even a student, you know, stay curious and find those mentors and avenues for feedback and the success will come along the way.
- [15:35]
B
Yeah, it sounds like just curiosity and like you said, that mentorship has just made such a difference in your own trajectory and, and can for others as well. And. And it's, of course, March is also Women's History Month. So I did want to ask what message maybe you'd share with women specifically aspiring to be in. In healthcare leadership roles.
- [15:57]
A
Yeah, absolutely. You know, one of the things that, for women specifically that I think is so important is, you know, leading with empathy, courage, authenticity. It's not an easy environment for women to feel like they can be those things. In a field that's dominated, you know, by men specifically, it can be hard. It can be, you know, you feel like you have to lead a certain way or be a certain way, or maybe you can't speak up. But, you know, I found that being a woman is what makes us so different and have that strength in this field because we, we aren't like the rest, right? We bring a different life perspective and we have different qualities about us that make us special. And so, you know, leading with that true authenticity and not being afraid and betting on yourself and, you know, again, just being 100 real is something that I encourage all leaders, all female leaders to do. And, you know, again, if I've let. I've mentored a lot of different women and, you know, I've seen that as something that could be an opportunity. So I just hope that all women, again, find that inspiration to again, lead with empathy, courage, and authenticity.
- [17:31]
B
Absolutely. Any other notes or just anything you want to expand on? Just as we're closing here, just on how your top five lists can inspire other women leaders. Anything that you haven't mentioned you'd want to add?
- [17:46]
A
No. I think that the honest truth is that it's never easy to do all five of those at one time. Right. It's. You may do one of them really well, and some of the others may not, you know, it may not be as doable and it takes time. And, you know, we should all give ourselves grace and, you know, the top five list is more so to have a guide for. Hey, these are things I've learned. These are ways that we can make sure that we're being our best selves, taking care of ourselves, putting our best foot forward. But, you know, the expectation isn't always to do them all at once and do them really well because it's hard. And as women, we have a lot of responsibilities on our shoulders to. In the way that we show up just in those societal kind of roles that we play. And again, it's not easy. But I just encourage. If there's anything that I can encourage any woman to do, it's really protect that time that grounds you. Because, you know, start there if you're gonna, you know, choose one and make sure you're taking care of yourself and then focus on the others. And those should come organically. But, you know, again, these are things that I've learned and I always hope that every woman feels that, you know, she can take care of herself and lead authentically.
- [19:21]
B
Thank you so much, Mita, for this fun and interesting conversation. I really appreciate your time and I look forward to working with you again soon.
- [19:33]
A
Yeah, thank you so much, Kelly and I appreciate this opportunity. When it comes to today's rcm, we know the challenges, complexity of claims, talent shortages, low funding and lagging tech. That's why we built MedMetrics. We have the expertise and advanced tech to give you that edge on your revenue cycle. We're a partner who will relentlessly raise your yield. A partner who's on your side because they've been operator side, who knows your battles and will make sure you win from start to finish, end to end. Medmetrics be exceptional.