Chief Medical Officer at Duke Regional Hospital

Guiding by a commitment to patient and staff safety, Adia Ross, the Chief Medical Officer at Duke Regional Hospital, has been at the forefront of prioritizing safe patient care and multidisciplinary care models.At the heart of her leadership philosophy lies the empowerment and nurturing of her teams, fostering a positive organizational culture that balances accountability for high quality care with staff and provider wellbeing.

Could you elaborate on your career trajectory within the industry? And how does your typical day look like at Duke Regional Hospital?

As the Chief Medical Officer, my role primarily centers around representing the medical staff perspectiveon the executive leadership team. I am entrusted, along with other members of the hospitalleadership team,with the responsibility of ensuring the delivery of timely, safe, and compassionate care at our inpatient facility, ambulatory clinics and outpatient surgery centers. One of my key objectives is to oversee the development of essential services and foster physician partnerships to ensure the right mix of services is available.

Furthermore, I manage a diverse array of functions ranging from case management, ED providers, advanced practice providers, infection preventionists, credentialing and privileging, dieticians and pharmacy services.I also supervise our comprehensive quality and safety programs, which encompasses publicly reported outcome data.

On a daily basis, my tasks involvefacilitating the collaboration of our high-performing teams to guarantee exceptional care and the availability of necessary resources. My overarching goal is to identify andeliminate any obstacles that may hinder the delivery of outstanding healthcare services.

As for my career journey, I started as a hospitalist within my health system after graduating from a combined internal medicine and healthcare administration residency program at Duke University Hospital in 2013. Over the years, I have taken on different leadership positions within Duke Health, notably leading a 50+ member hospital medicine group at Duke Raleigh Hospital. Additionally, I served as the medical director of our Duke Health Transfer Center, which oversees inpatient access to Duke Health.

What are some challenges that you've come across in your role at Duke Regional Hospital, and how did you address them?

In my role asChief Medical Officer, I have encountered a range of pressing predicaments. Among these, a central issue revolves around the ever-evolving care needs of our community.Ensuring thedelivery of timely and appropriate services to meet these dynamic needs is paramount.  The pursuit ofoptimizing patient throughput to reduceexcess hospital daysrepresents an industry-wide challenge, yet addressing it remains crucial. We have undertaken several projects that involve both hospital and ambulatory stakeholders all aimed at enhancingcare efficiency within our hospital while simultaneously preventing unnecessary admissions through optimized outpatient care.

 "Embracing innovation is crucial. This involves implementing digital technology, but it also means finding efficient ways to provide patient care while maintaining a human touch."

Another layer of complexity arises from shifting demographics and the persistent economic aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Navigating through these circumstances while upholding financially sustainable care models has emerged as an industry-wide challenge.Nevertheless, within any challenge lies the potential for innovation.  We are actively exploring alternative care models and delving into the realm of leveraging AI to enhance cost-effectiveness. We hope this approach will continue to empower cliniciansto maintain their focusedon high quality care at the bedside.

At Duke Health, our unwavering commitment to delivering top-tier care tailored to our customers’ needs and the communities we serve, all with a compassionate touch, remains paramount. This commitment continues to the cornerstone of our strategy as we diligently seek avenues to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. 

How do you keep yourself abreast of the latest medical advancements and best practices in the industry?

To ensure that I am well-informed, I employ a combination of effective strategies. Primarily, I monitor respected trade publications and scholarly journals that cover innovative healthcare models and implementation strategies. Additionally, I actively participate in conferences and webinars to further enrich my understanding. This helps me stay informed about the latest trends and developments in the field.

As an institution, we pay close attention to the advancements in digital health platforms and consumerism, as these elements play a crucial role in effectively reaching our patients and partnering with them.

In addition, Duke Health has created the Duke Institute for Healthcare Innovation (DIHI), where medical professionals and other experts regularly present their ideas anchored in cutting-edge technologies within their respective disciplines. Our focus then becomes translating these ideas into practical solutions for our hospital and ambulatory operations.

Have you undertaken any recent patient care or medical innovation initiatives that have been implemented at the hospital?

We have undertaken several projects recently to address specific challenges. One example has occurred in ourEmergency Department (ED). One of our key focuses has been on optimizing our nursing and provider staffing models to reduce the instances of patients leaving without being seen- a national benchmark closely monitored in EDs across the nation.

To effectively address this concern, our patient improvement experts partnered with our ED leadership team to perform a comprehensive value stream analysis to identify the barriers hindering progress in reducing our left without being seen rate. Another example from our inpatient platform encompasses our efforts to foster interdisciplinary teamwork to streamline consultations with physical therapists and occupational therapists. This ensures that we gain a thorough understanding of the patients' needs from the outset.

A final example is our current initiative to lower the rates of lower extremity amputations. Currently in its preliminary stages, this initiative involves forging effective partnerships between clinical experts and patients to comprehensively address psychosocial factors and systems issues that hinder their ability to access our healthcare system.

What would be your piece of advice to your fellow peers?

There are a couple of key points I'd like to share. First and foremost, embrace innovation and change- don’t fight it. Leverage your knowledge of systems to help ensure effective implementation. Also remember that innovation is not only the integration of new and emerging digital technology, but also the discovery of efficient ways to provide patient care that remains compassionate and patient-centered.Prioritizing both the patient experience and accessibility is essential.

Second, it is important to cultivate a mindset of continual learning.Encourage your staff and participate yourself,in workshops and conferencesin order to ensurethat you all stay current with the latest medical advancements and leadership mindsets.Embracing lifelong learning and being receptive to new ideas fosters an environment where people are not afraid to pilot changes and innovate. Staying informed about industry trends, including management techniques and technology remains pivotal as it empowers us to make informed impactful decisions.

Next,we must never lose sight of the importance of communication and collaboration among different departments. As new technologies emerge that have the ability to drastically alter workflows, it is important to gather the right experts to comprehend the implications of any new technology.

Lastly, resilience is a critical attribute.  Given the ever-changing healthcare landscape, it's crucial to allocate time for self-care.As leaders, we must equip ourselves with the necessary change management tools and effective coping strategies while also building in moments for rest.  By modelling these actionswe can continue to inspire our teams to navigate the cyclical challenges inherent to healthcare.