14 - Interview with Michael Dowling, President and CEO of Northwell Health

About this Episode

Michael J. Dowling is President and Chief Executive Officer of Northwell Health, which delivers world-class clinical care throughout the New York metropolitan area, and the acclaimed author of a number of books including his most recent- “Leading Through a Pandemic: The Inside Story of Humanity, Innovation, and Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Crisis”.

Northwell Health is the largest integrated health care system in New York State with a total workforce of more than 70,000 employees — the state’s largest private employer. With 23 hospitals, 6,675 hospital and long-term care beds, more than 750 outpatient physician practices and a full complement of long-term care services, Northwell is one of the nation’s largest health systems, with $12 billion in annual revenue.

Prior to becoming president and CEO in 2002, Mr. Dowling was the health system’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, served as a senior vice president at Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and spent 12 years in the New York State government as state director of Health, Education and Human Services and deputy secretary to the governor. He was also commissioner of the New York State Department of Social Services.

In this episode Tracy Duberman sits down with Michael Dowling to discuss the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the critical need for enhanced long-term support and attention to public health, and the important role of health ecosystem leaders in stewarding the national conversation.

Show Notes- Michael Dowling

1. The greatest threat facing American public health is the inability to plan for that which makes us uncomfortable. Building sustainable public health infrastructure is a matter of national security and requires us to transcend the 2 to 3-year short term timelines and thinking instilled in us by our political system.
2. Health Ecosystem Leaders have two key roles- lead the organization of which you are a part of and serve as a leader for the community at large by building a community of effort. Our world today is too interconnected for leading within the confines of you own walls to be sufficient.
3. Medical care is a small component of overall health and wellness. Everyone has an important role to play when it comes to advancing health and wellness- both at the individual and collective level. We must work with people to help them understand and take personal responsibility for health.
4. Covid-19 has collectively changed our perspective on life as well as our obligation and responsibility to society at large. Collectively the world is reimagining what the future looks like 5 to 10 years down the road. In Healthcare- we must build back better by focusing more on how we promote wellness and working in unity instead of in silos.
5. Health Ecosystem leaders must be open to partner and view their role as a part of the community health team. The only way the team wins is if they play together.