“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” ~ William Jennings Bryan
Every morning, I walk by a plaque bearing that quote. The words, penned more than 100 years ago by Bryan Health’s founder, speak to me. Like many of us, William Jennings Bryan was driven by faith to be a servant leader for the average person. His words continue to inspire today’s leaders, reinforcing his rich legacy and multiplying the power of his impact.
Each of us is called to do our part. Our unique contribution is to lead healthcare finance. As leaders, we are challenged each day to make the choice to reimagine and transform what we know into the care our patients and communities need and deserve.
That transformation means navigating innovation and experimentation to meet the challenge to provide the right care, at the right time, with the best results, at the right cost. This often calls for altering relationships, incentives, and our definition of success. It also requires us to collaborate with our physician colleagues and all levels of organizational leaders to redesign and transform the delivery and organization of care. It’s tough work. Innovation—even when it is core or adjacent to “what we do”—requires significant change in human behavior.
Scarcity of resources in our industry has made collaborative relationships the cornerstone of innovation. As finance professionals, we can be difference makers and contribute to advancing the health of our country during this period of transformation. We identify trends, anticipate needs, and predict future performance—a perfect match with our physician colleagues who also are data-driven problem solvers. It all starts with building partnerships of trust, which allow productive exploration, healthy competition, and joint problem solving.
Collaborating with physicians has led to the most rewarding times of my career. I’m continually in awe of what we can accomplish when we pool our strengths. Collaboration makes the impossible possible.
William Jennings Bryan also said, “Only those who believe, attempt the seemingly impossible. The way to self-confidence is do the thing you fear, and getting a record of successful experience behind you.” I believe it’s time for healthcare finance professionals to write the story for future generations. Let’s choose to merge our passion for our communities with our purpose to lead healthcare finance and attempt the seemingly impossible—seeding innovation one community at a time.
