CHI Health’s new CEO outlines his vision for the hospital system

TOGETHER. THAT’S THE MESSAGE FROM THE NEW HEAD OF CHI HEALTH. ROB: THE HEALTH SYSTEM ANNOUNCED E.J. KUIPER AS THE CEO JUST ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. I SPOKE WITH HIM ON HIS PRIORITIES AS THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES. IN THE INTERVIEW YOU’LL ONLY SEE ON KETV. >> THE VISIOISN TO BEHE T PLACE, DESTINATION FM ROA HEALTH CARE PERSPECTIVE, THE BEST PLACE FOR PATIENTS TO MECO TO RECEIVE CARE. ROB: CHI HEALTH’S NEW LEADER LAYS OUT AN AMBITIOUS PLAN FOR THE HOSPITAL STEM.YS E.J. KUIPER SAYS THAT GOAL STARTS BY TAKING CARE OF HIS TEAM. >> I NEED TO CREATE THE BEST PLACE TO WORK AND THE BEST PLACE TO PRACTICE MEDICINE, SO ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE CAN TAKE CARE OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. ROB: KUIPER KNOWS HE’GOS T SHI WORK CUT OUT FOR HIM. HE’S STEPPING INTO THE ROLE OF CEO WITH THE PANDEMIC STILL RAO WITH THE PANDEMIC STILL GING. >> OUR WORKFORCE IS TIRED. AND YOU SEE THAT IN HEALTH CARE ACROSS THE NATION. ROB: AND HE SEES THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY TRANSFORMED BY THE PANDEMIC. >> YOU KNOW, WE’VE LEARNED A LOT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. ROB: BUT ONE THING THAT HANOS T CHANGED, KUIPERS SAYS, IS THE COMMITMENT WORKERS HAVE TO THEIR PATITS.EN IT WAS SOMETHING THE NEW CEO NOTICED RIGHT FROM THE START. >> I’M’SO IMPRESSED WITH THE RESILIENCY OF OUR STAFF, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE TIRED, SOME ARE BURNED OUT, THEY STILL KWNO EYTH HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF THE COMMUNITY, TAKE CARE OF THE PATIENTS INSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITS.IE ROB: DESPITE THE HARDSHIPS HEALTH CARE WORKERS FACED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, KUIPER HOPES WE’REOV MING IN T RHEIGHT DIRECTION WITH THE OMICRON SUE.RG >> WE APPEAR TO BE NEARING THE PEAK AND PERHAPS EVEN A LITTLE BIT PA. ST SO THE HOSPITALIZATIONS, THE COVID HOSPITALIZATIONS, ARE DECREASING SLOWLY, WHICH IS GREAT NEWS. ROB: BUT THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM’S LEADER UNDERSTANDS HOW QUICKLY THINGS CAN CHANGE. >> WE DON’T KNOW WHEN THE XTNE SUE RGIS GOING TO HAPPEN. IT MIGHT HAPPEN THIS FALL, IT MIGHT BE EARLIER. SO WE’RE NOT OUT OTHF E WOODS YET. ROB: AND HE NEEDS THE COMMUNITY’S HELP TO LOWER THE BURDEN ON HEAL CTHARE WORKERS. >> CONTINE TO FOLLOWHE T GUIDELINES, GET YOUR VACCINE, MASKING UP, SOCIAL DISTANCE WHEN APPROPRIE.AT ROB: BECAUSE KUIPER SAYS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, HEALTHCARE IS ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE. >> ALL THESE BUILDINGS, THESE HOSPITALS AND CLINICS ARE JUST PIECES OF REAL ESTATE, WITHOUT OUR PEOPLE, WITHOUT NURS,ES WITHOUT DOCTORS, WITHOUT THERAPISTS SO WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR WORKFORCE. OTHERWISE, WE’RE JUST RUNNING REAL ESTATE. ROB: YOU CAN SEE MORE OF MY CONVERSATION WITH KUIPER ONLEIN RIGHT NOW. JUST GO TO KETV.COM AND SEARCH ‘ ’CHRONICLE: THE STATE O

‘We have to take care of our workforce’: CHI Health’s new CEO outlines vision for hospital system

E.J. Kuiper says his focus will be on “workforce wellness” as he steps into his role as CEO.

Updated: 10:46 PM CST Feb 6, 2022

CHI Health has a new leader. The health system announced Jan. 20 that E. J. Kuiper would take the helm as CEO. In an exclusive interview with KETV Newswatch 7, the new CEO laid out an ambitious plan for the hospital system. “The vision is to be the place, destination from a health care perspective. The best place for patients to come to receive care” says Kuiper. With the pandemic still raging, the hospital system’s new leader knows he’s got his work cut out for him. He says the workforce is tired; something that is seen across the industry nationwide. While COVID-19 has transformed the medical field, Kuiper says one thing that has not changed is the commitment workers have to their patients. “I’m so impressed with the resiliency of our staff,” says Kuiper. “Because even though they’re tired, some are burned out, they still know they have the responsibility to take care of the community and take care of the patients inside of our communities.” Despite the hardships health care workers have faced over the last two years, Kuiper is hopeful we’re moving in the right direction. He says COVID-19 hospitalizations are decreasing slowly, and it appears we are nearing, or even moving past, the peak of the omicron surge. But CHI Health’s new CEO understands how quickly things can change. Kuiper says they don’t know when the next surge is going to happen. Until then, he calls on the community to follow health guidelines including getting the vaccine, masking up and social distancing when appropriate. Because at the end of the day, Kuiper says hospitals and clinics are just pieces of real estate without the nurses, doctors and therapists.

CHI Health has a new leader. The health system announced Jan. 20 that E. J. Kuiper would take the helm as CEO.

In an exclusive interview with KETV Newswatch 7, the new CEO laid out an ambitious plan for the hospital system.

“The vision is to be the place, destination from a health care perspective. The best place for patients to come to receive care” says Kuiper.

With the pandemic still raging, the hospital system’s new leader knows he’s got his work cut out for him. He says the workforce is tired; something that is seen across the industry nationwide.

While COVID-19 has transformed the medical field, Kuiper says one thing that has not changed is the commitment workers have to their patients. “I’m so impressed with the resiliency of our staff,” says Kuiper. “Because even though they’re tired, some are burned out, they still know they have the responsibility to take care of the community and take care of the patients inside of our communities.”

Despite the hardships health care workers have faced over the last two years, Kuiper is hopeful we’re moving in the right direction. He says COVID-19 hospitalizations are decreasing slowly, and it appears we are nearing, or even moving past, the peak of the omicron surge.

But CHI Health’s new CEO understands how quickly things can change. Kuiper says they don’t know when the next surge is going to happen. Until then, he calls on the community to follow health guidelines including getting the vaccine, masking up and social distancing when appropriate.

Because at the end of the day, Kuiper says hospitals and clinics are just pieces of real estate without the nurses, doctors and therapists.