1. What inspired your journey in advancing patient and staff experience in healthcare, and why do you believe human experience is becoming a central priority for healthcare systems today?
My work didn’t start in a boardroom—it started in child life, sitting with patients and families in some of their hardest moments.
I had a front-row seat to how care is experienced—not just clinically, but emotionally and psychologically. I saw how even when care was technically excellent, families could leave feeling confused, unprepared, or alone. And just as importantly, I saw how small moments of clarity, connection, and presence could completely change that experience.
That stayed with me.
Over the past 15+ years, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside hundreds of healthcare organizations across the country. And what’s been consistent—regardless of size, setting, or strategy—is this: the experience of care is shaped in the moments between the medicine.
What became clear over time is that experience isn’t separate from quality—it’s how quality is delivered and understood. Communication, coordination, and trust aren’t “extras”—they’re what determine whether care is safe, followed, and meaningful.
Today, human experience is becoming central because healthcare is more complex than ever. Patients are navigating more transitions. Clinicians are under more pressure. And outcomes increasingly depend on what happens in those critical moments—how we communicate, prepare, and connect.
2. From your perspective, what are the most pressing challenges healthcare organizations face today when trying to improve both patient and staff experiences simultaneously?
The biggest challenge is that organizations often treat these as separate workstreams, when they are deeply interconnected.
You can’t create a great patient experience in an environment where the workforce is overwhelmed, unsupported, or disconnected from purpose. And you can’t improve workforce engagement without addressing the realities of how care is delivered.
Specifically:
- Leaders underestimate the operational and cognitive load on clinicians, especially physicians
- Experience is positioned as “extra” work, rather than embedded in clinical practice
- Data exists, but there’s a gap in translating it into clear, actionable behaviors
The result is a lot of effort—but not always consistent change where it matters most.
3. What innovative approaches, technologies, or strategies do you believe are transforming how healthcare organizations deliver more human-centered care?
The most meaningful shift I’m seeing is a move from measurement to activation.
Organizations have no shortage of data. What’s changing is how that data is used—to drive real-time conversations, behavior change, and leadership accountability.
A few things making a real difference:
- Translating feedback into specific, observable behaviors in key moments
- Equipping leaders to coach in real environments, not just review reports
- Integrating experience into quality, safety, and operational workflows—not running it in parallel
- Using technology (including AI) not just to collect data, but to surface insights that are usable at the frontline
It’s less about new tools or more data—and more about how we activate what we already know.
4. How can healthcare leaders foster a culture where both patients and healthcare professionals feel heard, valued, and supported?
It starts with leadership behavior—not messaging.
Cultures shift when leaders consistently:
- Show up in the environment (rounding, listening, observing)
- Notice and name what’s happening—both what’s working and what’s not
- Create space for people to speak up without fear—and respond in a way that reinforces trust
For physicians and frontline teams, feeling valued isn’t about more recognition programs. It’s about:
- Being included in solving problems that affect their work
- Having clarity on expectations
- Experiencing consistency in how leaders follow through
In other words, culture isn’t what we say—it’s what people experience every day.
5. Can you share an example or initiative that has made a meaningful impact on patient or staff experience in your organization or the wider healthcare ecosystem?
One example that stands out is working with a health system where physician and advanced practice provider (APP) engagement in patient experience was low—not due to lack of caring, but lack of connection to the work.
Instead of introducing scripts or additional training, we focused on:
- Identifying the specific moments where physician and provider behavior most influenced patient trust and safety
- Using patient feedback and discharge call insights to highlight real gaps in understanding and follow-through
- Creating opportunities for physicians and providers to see and hear the impact directly, and engage in problem-solving
What shifted wasn’t just scores—it was ownership and confidence.
Physicians and APPs began to see experience as part of clinical excellence, not an external requirement. And that translated into more consistent communication, better patient preparation, and measurable improvements in both experience and outcomes.
6. Looking ahead, what does the future of human experience in healthcare look like to you, and what one change or action should healthcare organizations prioritize today to move in that direction?
The future of human experience in healthcare is not about more programs—it’s about greater integration and reliability.
Experience, safety, quality, and workforce engagement will continue to converge. The organizations that lead will be those that can translate strategy into consistent, everyday behaviors across teams.
Not by asking them to superficially “buy in,” but by:
- Connecting experience to what they already value—outcomes, safety, and clinical excellence
- Designing approaches that work within the realities of their practice or care environment
- Creating visibility and accountability in the moments that matter most
I believe, the future of healthcare will be defined not by what we measure—but by how consistently we deliver care in a way people can trust.