
Matt C. Schaefer on Leading With Humanity at Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital
Becker’s Healthcare PodcastSummary
Matthew Schaefer, CEO of Dolly Parton Children's Hospital, highlights the hospital's significant role in serving pediatric patients across Tennessee and beyond. Since taking the helm in August 2020, Schaefer has focused on expanding services beyond traditional medical centers to include more ambulatory care and telehealth options, particularly in underserved areas. He emphasizes the importance of adapting to the growing needs of families and ensuring that the hospital is equipped to handle increasingly complex cases in its intensive care units.
Schaefer also discusses the partnership with Dolly Parton, which has enhanced the hospital's visibility and community support. He notes that her involvement not only boosts morale among staff but also strengthens the hospital's mission to provide comprehensive care for children. The collaboration allows the hospital to leverage Parton's influence to raise awareness and attract talent to the region, addressing the ongoing challenge of recruiting pediatric subspecialists.
In his leadership philosophy, Schaefer stresses the importance of a human-centered approach in healthcare, encouraging leaders to prioritize the well-being of both patients and staff. He advocates for curiosity and open communication as essential traits for effective leadership, believing that fostering a supportive environment leads to better outcomes for everyone involved.
Show Notes
In this episode, Matt C. Schaefer, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital, discusses expanding pediatric care, attracting specialized talent, and leading with a strong focus on patients, families, and employees.
More from Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
In this episode, Kevin Neese, MD, Co-owner, Helix Advanced Medicine, discusses building a prevention focused primary care model, improving healthspan, and using early risk detection to keep patients healthier and out of the hospital.
In this episode, Dr. Daniel Sun, Orthopedic Surgeon at Tufts Medical Center, discusses advances in hip replacement, implant longevity, robotics and AI, and the growing shift toward outpatient procedures. He also explores balancing faster recovery and cost savings with patient safety and complication prevention.
In this episode, Tieraona Low Dog, MD, ABOIM, Founding Director of the Integrative and Functional Medicine Fellowship and pioneer in integrative medicine, and Shaista Malik, MD, PhD, MPH, Executive Director of the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute and Vice President of Integrative Health at UCI Health, join the podcast to discuss acupuncture and the integration of integrative and functional medicine into patient care. They also share insights on addressing skepticism, fostering an open-minded approach to healthcare, and the leadership principles that guide the fellowship.
This episode recorded live at the Becker's 11th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Conference features Marola Kraczek, MA, Senior Change Enablement Specialist, HCA Healthcare, who discusses the role of change management in turning healthcare data into actionable insights, reducing workflow fragmentation and supporting clinician adoption.
In this episode, Phoebe L. Yang. a former C-suite executive across four public companies, an appointee in two Presidential Administrations, and a Fortune 250/S&P 500 board director (GE HealthCare, Doximity, CommonSpirit Health, JudiHealth), most recently General Manager of Amazon Web Services Healthcare, and faculty of Stanford Law School, where she designed and teaches a popular course, "Business Leadership in the Age of AI”, discusses AI governance, cybersecurity, and responsible AI adoption. The views and opinions expressed by Phoebe Yang in this program are her own at the time of the recording of this podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any organization with which she may be affiliated