Direct Line from Max Buetow for 2/10/23

Feb. 10, 2023

A capitol visit

I recently visited our state capitol in Jefferson City for a day of introductions and laying the foundation for strategic relationships.

I had never been to the capitol before, but fortunately I was able to be with an expert, our own Teresa Coyan, who serves as our vice president of public affairs. Despite being in the capitol hundreds of times as part of her role, Teresa told me she always feels a sense of reverence when she walks through the doors.

That’s the feeling I had as well. You hear a lot about the polarization of politics, but one day with our state’s leaders renewed my faith in the system, the process, and in the people who work so hard to represent our region.

One of the legislators we met with was Rep. John Black, who serves the 129th district. He took us onto the floor of the house and made introductions, going out of his way to make us feel welcome.

What impressed me most is how earnestly committed Rep. Black is to his role as chair of the Subcommittee on Appropriations – Health, Mental Health, and Social Services. He asked about health care from our perspective, and, when he was home in his district later in the week, he took time to meet with us, Jordan Valley, Mercy and Burrell.

In going the extra mile to learn about health care from the people who provide it, Rep. Black is showing his desire to do an excellent job for the people he represents and the role he holds.

I am proud to say he is not alone in that approach. We met with several representatives from our area – from both sides of the aisle – and it was inspiring to see the rapport they have with one another and their willingness to work together.

Everyone we met greeted us with a smile and a sincere desire to understand the situation health care faces. To a person, everyone affirmed their commitment to the people of our communities and to our industry.

Workforce issues are on everyone’s minds, and we participated in conversations about the innovative solutions our community is working toward to ensure that we have the health care workforce to meet the needs of tomorrow. Ultimately, we feel very well aligned with the priorities of Missouri’s lawmakers.

I was very impressed with the job our legislators do, and it gives me a sincere appreciation for the work – it is not an easy job.

I was struck by the fast and furious pace and how nimble representatives must be. My days are busy, but they are nothing compared to the schedules legislators keep. Their days are scheduled back to back in 15-minute increments with people coming to talk about everything from health care and agriculture to manufacturing and infrastructure.

There is so much noise around politics in general, but our visit was a nice reset. It was refreshing to see our representatives all working to understand the issues we brought forward, and working so sincerely to fulfill the obligation of their offices.

The day renewed my sense of hope and pride in the system, and I know the people of our area are well represented by our elected officials who are committed to the progress of our communities.

Building a culture that is a refuge for our teams

I say this all the time: My favorite way to learn is through good conversation, and when I am able to do that with a dynamic leader I admire, it is the best! That’s what happened recently when I got to have lunch with Tom Douglas, CEO of JMARK Business Solutions.

Tom serves on the CMN Hospitals board, and he is well known as one of our region’s most respected business owners. As I picked his brain about his experience and his approach, I asked him: What is a major challenge you are facing in your organization?

It’s a question I ask leaders a lot, but I was surprised by his answer. He told me that what is on his mind most is concern for his team members.

He told me: “In our employees’ lives, there is so much going on below the surface. As they face all of the stress and pressures of life, I feel like it is my responsibility to create a safe harbor for them at work.”

I had never heard a leader phrase it this way before, but it is true for CoxHealth’s team members as well. As challenging as working in health care can be, I know there are people who see their work as a refuge. People gain self worth and a sense of identity from the work they do, and I know that has been the case for me.

In my role, it is my responsibility to make CoxHealth a place where our employees can escape the chaos of their personal lives – where they can focus on their work while spending time with a supportive work family.

That’s why we invest in support for our teams’ mental well-being, and we are constantly working to create a welcoming, supportive environment. The culture inside an organization sets the stage for what our customers experience, and it is one of the most important things a leader can influence.

I appreciate Tom’s dedication to building an environment that is a refuge for his teams, and I am committed to doing the same for our CoxHealth colleagues who make our mission their life’s work.

Virtual rounding with our remote teams

I love getting out in our facilities and meeting with our colleagues during my regular rounding, but this week was a first: a virtual rounding session with our CoxHealth at Home, hospice and Home Care Services teams.

These colleagues work remotely across our region, and more than 70 team members joined us online for a discussion of what’s going well and what needs improvement. I had been nervous about how the session would go, but these teams are masters of virtual interaction. We didn’t have any dead airtime as CoxHealth at Home Vice President Jim Farmer and I got just as much feedback in an hour online as you typically find in a departmental visit.

Everyone was focused on how we can collaborate and how we can improve. The teams raised issues with field hardware and with improvements we can make to our electronic medical record system. By the end, Jim and I each had two pages of notes to follow up on.

It was a great reminder of the professionalism of our remote teams. Even though we place a lot of focus on work in our brick and mortar facilities, the work they do in the field is every bit as vital. The care they provide is complex and their value simply cannot be overstated.

I appreciate everything they do to serve our communities!

Heroes for Healthy Hearts

The month of February brings many things: ice, a little sunshine, and lots of candy (don’t worry, I’m sticking to my no-sugar resolution). At CoxHealth, February brings our annual “Heroes for Healthy Hearts” campaign with the CoxHealth Foundation, which supports cardiac patients in southwest Missouri.

Grab a couple raffle tickets here and get the chance to win one of six different gift baskets – there’s even one out there for all the Chiefs fans! Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups; you or someone you know has likely been affected by it. Join us in showing support by visiting the Foundation’s website through Feb. 28.

Voice of the Patient

Adapted from inpatient feedback at Cox Barton County: “Every nurse and doctor treated me very well. They put in a great effort to see that I was comfortable.”

Thank you for all you do,

Max