First up in our Meet the Board series is Mark Holtz, MS, FACHE!
What did you want to be when you grew up? A Physician.
Who is a person past or present whose leadership you admire? There are several bosses I had over my career who I admire and have a great influence on me. Lou Liebhaber was my boss for over 10 years and the latest was Darlene Stromstad, who was CEO at Waterbury Hospital. She brought me there and I admired her intelligence and constant focus on what was best for the patients, quality and safety.
Words to live by: Patients first and foremost, do the right thing!
A successful day at work is: Feeling I accomplished something to make a patient or staff member’s day better.
What is an achievement you enjoy sharing? Participating in financial turnaround of Waterbury Hospital, saving it for the community.
What book are you reading or podcast are you listening to right now? A historic book about Alexander Hamilton. He was a fascinating person in American History.
What do you think are the greatest challenges/ opportunities for Connecticut’s healthcare industry to tackle in the next 10 years? 20 years? Not just CT, but the entire country. We have to align incentives for all constituents in the healthcare continuum so that the motivation is to do what is right for the patient and is effective. The healthcare system is being crushed by waste, mostly because financial incentives are not aligned. It is an engineering principal of counter productivity.
Why did you decide to be a board member? It was a way to give back to a profession I have been blessed to be a part of since I graduated from college. I learned a great deal, made lifelong friends, and valued colleagues from my membership in ACHE chapters in all the states I have lived in. The chapters succeed because of committed volunteer board members. I wanted to give back.
What advice would you give to an early careerist? Keep the long picture of your career goals and objectives in view. Don’t do anything for today unless it contributes or enhances your ability to grow professionally and personally. Don’t do anything just for the money, its not worth it.
