♪ MUSIC REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

HELLO, I'M LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

OUR GUEST TODAY IS LILLIAN MONTOYA, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CHRISTUS ST.

VINCENT HOSPITAL, A REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, BUT YOU'RE ALSO THE SENIOR VP OF CHRISTUS NEW MEXICO.

SO TELL ME WHAT CHRISTUS NEW MEXICO DOES, I MEAN THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, AN ARM OF THE HOSPITAL.

>>LILLIAN: SO CHRISTUS HEALTH HAS HOSPITALS IN TEXAS, LOUISIANA, NEW MEXICO, COLUMBIA, AND CHILE.

WE ACTUALLY NOW HAVE, IN NEW MEXICO, AN ADDITIONAL LOCATION WITH A HOSPITAL AND CLINIC.

SO HERE IN THE NORTH, IN SANTA FE, WE HAVE 2,600 PEOPLE, WE HAVE A HOSPITAL, 200-BED FACILITY, 34 CLINICS.

IN ALAMOGORDO, WE HAVE ANOTHER HOSPITAL, AND WE HAVE 1,400 EMPLOYEES AND ABOUT 18 CLINICS.

IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AS CHRISTUS HAS EXPANDED ITS ABILITY TO CARE FOR MORE PEOPLE, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO CARE FOR MORE PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICO AND THE OPPORTUNITY DOWN IN ALAMOGORDO PRESENTED ITSELF, AND SO THEY JOINED THE FAMILY ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO NOW.

>>LORENE: WELL, LUCKY FOR THEM.

>>LILLIAN: I KNOW, I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.

>>LORENE: THAT'S WONDERFUL.

>>LILLIAN: IT MEANS WE CAN DO MORE OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING HERE IN THE NORTH AND SORT OF REALLY HELP NOT ONLY OUR COMMUNITY FAMILIES IN ALAMOGORDO, AND THE ASSOCIATES, BUT BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT HOW CAN WE BRING THIS KIND OF CARE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, BECAUSE I THINK WHEN I READ ABOUT YOUR MISSION AND YOUR SORT OF MISSION MOTTO, I JUST THOUGHT, WELL, THAT'S IT, DO YOU WANT TO SAY THE MISSION.

>>LILLIAN: EXCEPTIONAL CARE.

>>LORENE: EXCEPTIONAL MEDICINE, EXTRAORDINARY CARE.

>>LILLIAN: EVERY PERSON, EVERY DAY.

IT'S A BELIEF, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HOLD TRUE TO EVERY DAY AS WE ENTER THE WALLS OF THE HOSPITAL.

>>LORENE: WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MOST HEALTH CARE FACILITIES OPERATE FROM THAT VISIONARY STANDPOINT, IT'S INSPIRING TO ME, ESPECIALLY THE PARTICULAR EVERY PERSON, EVERY DAY.

>>LILLIAN: WHEN I FIRST CAME TO KNOW CHRISTUS ST.

VINCENT, I WAS INVITED TO BE ON THE HOSPITAL BOARD, SO THAT'S MY GENESIS OF COMING TO CHRISTUS ST.

VINCENT AND I WAS ON THE HOSPITAL BOARD FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS AND WAS CHAIR OF THE BOARD.

BUT IT WAS THAT BOARD THAT SAID THIS IS WHAT OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES, THIS EXCEPTIONAL MEDICINE EVERY PERSON, EVERY DAY, EXTRAORDINARY CARE.

WE HAD A LONG WAY TO GO BACK THEN, I JOINED THE HOSPITAL JUST ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO NOW AFTER BEING ON THE BOARD.

AND THIS JOURNEY TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY TRULY HAS BEEN, IT'S BEEN FOR ME QUITE PERSONAL, BUT CERTAINLY FOR OUR WORKFORCE AND THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN LIVING UP TO THAT ASPIRATION THAT THE BOARD SET FOR US AT THE TIME.

>>LORENE: YES, I THINK IT WAS VISIONARY, I MEAN, JUST I WISH OTHER PEOPLE WOULD DO THAT.

YOU WERE THE FIRST WOMAN CEO SINCE THE SISTERS OF CHARITY FOUNDED THE HOSPITAL IN 1865 AND YOU'VE GOTTEN THE "BEST PLACE TO WORK" FOR EIGHT YEARS IN A ROW.

AND WHEN WE GO ON LATER, WE'LL FIND OUT.

YOU WILL REVEAL HOW YOU WERE GIVEN THAT.

AND IT'S A FIVE-STAR HOSPITAL SYSTEM, YOU'RE RATED FIVE STARS BY MEDICARE AND MEDICAID AND ALL OF THE LARGE HEALTHCARE INSURERS.

>>LILLIAN: SO FOR US, IT'S REALLY, IT'S A VERY SPECIAL DESIGNATION, SOMETHING THAT OUR TEAM EARNED, IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR COMMUNITY DESERVED.

BUT IT'S A BASKET OF MEASURES THAT YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY GOOD AT AS A HOSPITAL, QUALITY OF CARE, YOUR STEWARDSHIP, YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR PATIENT ENGAGEMENT, YOUR ASSOCIATE ENGAGEMENT.

WHEN WE EARNED FIVE STARS FROM THE CENTERS FOR MEDICAID AND MEDICARE, WE BECAME ONE OF THE 10% OF THE HOSPITALS IN THE COUNTRY THAT ACHIEVED THAT STANDARD AND WE'RE THE ONLY ONE IN NEW MEXICO.

>>LORENE: WOW, CONGRATULATIONS!

>>LILLIAN: I KNOW IT'S VERY EXCITING.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I JOINED THE ORGANIZATION, WE WERE A ONE-STAR HOSPITAL, AND WE WERE A LEAPFROG HOSPITAL D AND A C AND NOW WE HOVER BETWEEN BEING AN A AND A B. REALLY, WHAT IT SPEAKS TO IS OUR COMMITMENT TO CREATING GREAT CARE HERE AND CREATING A GREAT WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR PEOPLE TO DO THEIR VERY BEST WORK HERE.

>>LORENE: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS, BECAUSE YOU'VE WORN A LOT OF HATS, AND YET I SEE HOW YOU'VE INTEGRATED ALL THESE VARIOUS EXPERIENCES INTO A WHOLE NEW PRESENTATION AT THE HOSPITAL, TELL ME ABOUT IT.

>>LILLIAN: SO, I HAVE BEEN ON A JOURNEY THAT'S SORT OF AN ANOMALY.

I'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN NEW MEXICO, TO HAVE THIS KIND OF A CAREER, MY SIBLINGS DON'T LIVE IN NEW MEXICO ANYMORE, MY KIDS DON'T LIVE IN THE STATE.

I TELL PEOPLE THE HOSPITAL'S MY THIRD KID, IT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT HASN'T LEFT ME, SO IT GETS ALL MY ATTENTION.

BUT I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK THAT MY EXPERIENCES ARE SO VARIED THAT IT REALLY PREPARED ME FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT COULDN'T BE DONE.

SO HAVING WORKED IN EARLY CHILDHOOD, WORKING WITH THE INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY COLLEGE ASSOCIATION, THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, I WORKED AT LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LAB DOING ALL OF THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS OFFICE EFFORT, BEEN INVOLVED IN SO MANY COMMUNITY AND STATE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ALLOWED ME TO CREATE ENVIRONMENTS THAT ALLOW THOSE GROUPS TO SORT OF TAKE THEIR ORGANIZATION OR THEIR CITY OR THEIR COMMUNITY TO ANOTHER LEVEL.

A QUICK EXAMPLE WHEN I WAS WITH THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, ONE OF MY MOST FAVORITE INITIATIVES WAS TO CREATE THE REGIONAL TRANSIT DISTRICT.

SO, I BARELY KNOW ENOUGH TO DRIVE A CAR AND A STANDARD, BUT I HAD TO LEARN MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION AND WHAT IT MEANS TO CREATE EASY WAYS FOR ELDERS AND OTHERS TO GET TO THE DOCTOR, PEOPLE TO GET TO WORK.

AND BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THE EIGHT NORTHERN PUEBLOS AND THE COUNTIES AND THE CITIES, YOU REALLY LEARN WHAT IT TAKES TO COLLABORATE, TO BE AUTHENTIC, TO BE GRACIOUS AND KIND, TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT AND HELP THEM ACHIEVE SOMETHING LIKE CREATING A REGIONAL TRANSIT DISTRICT.

THAT WORKPLACE OR THAT EXPERIENCE FOR ME WAS SORT OF AN INCREDIBLE AND PERSONAL EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU CAN DO BY BRINGING ALL THE PARTIES TO THE TABLE TO HAVE THOSE KINDS OF TOUGH CONVERSATIONS AND THEN HONOR EACH OTHER'S COMMITMENT TO REACHING SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T THINK WE COULD DO ALONE, RIGHT?

BUT IT WAS JUST ONE EXAMPLE AND SO COMING TO THE HOSPITAL, BEING ABLE TO TAKE THAT ON STEROIDS AND REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW DO YOU ENGAGE YOUR WORKFORCE, HOW DO YOU EFFECTIVELY MOVE BARRIERS OUT OF THE WAY SO THEY CAN DO THEIR VERY BEST WORK AND CREATE THAT JOYFUL EXPERIENCE, THAT EXPERIENCE THAT THEY WANT TO COME BACK FOR MORE.

SO I'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE, I'VE BEEN VERY BLESSED, IT'S BEEN QUITE A JOURNEY AND CERTAINLY SOME VERY DIFFICULT TIMES ALONG THAT JOURNEY.

BUT I WAS VERY COMFORTABLE IN MY WHOLE CAREER TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS ALONG THE WAY AND MAKING DECISIONS.

AT THE TIME, MY DAD WAS LIKE, ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THIS, AND STILL MOVING FORWARD AND TRYING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

>>LORENE: WELL, THEY SAY THAT YOUR SIGNATURE TALENT IS GIVING LIFE TO WHAT AN ORGANIZATION REALLY WANTS BUT HAD GIVEN UP ON.

THEY KIND OF WOULD FORGET THEIR MISSION, AND THEN YOU WOULD REINTRODUCE THEM TO THEIR OWN DREAM AND RE-ENERGIZE THEM AGAIN, AND THEN SAY, LET'S DO THIS TOGETHER AND SHOW THEM WAYS TO ACHIEVE THE DREAM.

PEOPLE ARE SO GRATEFUL, PEOPLE ARE SO HAPPY TO BE BACK ON THE PATH THEY LOST LONG AGO AND THEIR GOALS ARE USUALLY SO ELEGANT AND SO VISIONARY.

THEY REALLY WANT TO DO THINGS TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY BETTER, THE ORGANIZATION BETTER, AND THE PEOPLE BETTER.

>>LILLIAN: ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY, VERY KIND OF YOU TO SAY THAT, THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: I KNOW IT'S A WONDERFUL GIFT AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DO, THANK YOU.

>>LILLIAN: NO, THANK YOU.

I FEEL LIKE IT NOURISHES ME AS WELL, I GET GREAT JOY FROM SEEING PEOPLE AND GROUPS REALIZING THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW THEY HAD IN THEMSELVES.

IT KEEPS ME COMING BACK FOR MORE.

I STILL GO TO OUR NEW ASSOCIATE ORIENTATION EVERY TWO WEEKS, 90% OF THE TIME I'M IN TOWN DOING IT MYSELF BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY COMING IN FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME HEARS ABOUT OUR JOURNEY BUT ALSO HEARS ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR PEOPLE.

AND I SAY EVERY TWO WEEKS I SAY THIS WITHOUT A DOUBT, I SAY THAT MY JOB AND THE JOB OF OUR LEADERS IS TO MOVE THINGS OUT OF THE WAY SO THAT THEY CAN DO THEIR VERY BEST WORK.

SO THEREFORE, WE PUT OUR ASSOCIATES FIRST, BECAUSE IF YOU PUT THEM FIRST THEY'RE GOING TO TREAT EACH OTHER BETTER, GOING TO TREAT PATIENTS BETTER, THEY'RE GOING TO TREAT THEIR FAMILIES BETTER AND THEN WHEN THEY GO HOME, THEY WON'T YELL AT THEIR KIDS, RIGHT?

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

>>LILLIAN: BECAUSE WE'RE CREATING THIS ENVIRONMENT THAT ALLOWS THEM TO DO THEIR VERY BEST WORK.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, RIGHT.

THROUGH YOUR ORGANIZING WORK AT THE HOSPITAL, YOU'VE KIND OF CHANGED THE WAY WORK IS PERCEIVED AND SEEN IN SANTA FE.

YOU'VE CHANGED THE CULTURE OF WORK, YOU'VE BROUGHT THE IDEAL OF JOYFUL WORK SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GO TO WORK, LOVE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, KNOWING THEY'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE, GO HOME TO THEIR FAMILY, AND BE PROUD OF WHO THEY ARE, AND THEIR FAMILY IS PROUD OF WHAT THEY DO.

WHAT A GIFT, THANK YOU.

>>LILLIAN: THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT PEOPLE DON'T LEAVE COMPANIES, PEOPLE LEAVE PEOPLE.

I MEAN, THEY'LL LEAVE A COMPANY OR A PERSON IF THEY HAVE THIS INCREDIBLE JOB AND OPPORTUNITY OF PROMOTION, BUT IN MOST CASES, THEY'RE LEAVING AN ENVIRONMENT.

WHETHER IT'S A TEAM THEY CAN'T ENGAGE WITH FULLY OR A BOSS AND SO WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO SORT OF RETHINK HOW IT IS THAT WE ENGAGE OUR WORKFORCE.

NOW, I WILL SAY HEALTHCARE IS HARD, OKAY, OUR PEOPLE DO THE HARD WORK OF THE HEART WORK BECAUSE THEY CHOSE HEALTHCARE TO STAY CONNECTED TO A PURPOSE.

AND SO MANY OF THEM DO WORK THAT I WOULD NEVER BE QUALIFIED TO DO OR ABLE TO DO AS WELL AS THEY DO BECAUSE THEY COME TO IT FROM A DIFFERENT PURPOSE PLACE, RIGHT?

MY PURPOSE IS TO TAKE CARE OF THEM SO THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF OTHERS, AND THEIR JOB IS TO JUST BE AMAZING, INCREDIBLE AND I WANT TO SUPPORT THAT.

I TEASE OUR SURGEONS THAT I HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO HOLD THOSE SCALPELS, AND I CAN GO WITH YOU IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM, YOU KNOW, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE COMPETENCE.

SO MY JOB IS TO SORT OF MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO DO THEIR JOB AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY, THE CHALLENGES ARE EVER-CHANGING IN HEALTHCARE.

AND IF WE CAN KEEP OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS FEELING SUPPORTED AND ENGAGED AND WANTING TO DO THAT WORK HERE, WHEN THEYP CAN DO THAT WORK ANYWHERE, THEY CAN DO THAT WORK ACROSS TOWN, ACROSS THE STATE, OR ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>>LORENE: SO THIS HAS BEEN NOTICED BECAUSE YOU'VE GOTTEN SO MANY "BEST PLACE TO WORK" AWARDS.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST NOTICE FOR YOURSELF THAT WHAT YOU WERE DOING WAS MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND SEEING KIND OF RESONANCES AND RIPPLES OF WHAT YOU'VE GOT THE BALL ROLLING AND TO SEE WHERE IT WENT.

>>LILLIAN: SO TWO THINGS, THE FIRST WAS WE'VE ALWAYS CONDUCTED EMPLOYEE SURVEYS, ASSOCIATE ENGAGEMENT SURVEYS.

WHEN I JOINED THE ORGANIZATION, WE WERE IN THE 19TH PERCENTILE NATIONALLY, WHICH MEANT THAT A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER HEALTHCARE WORKERS WERE MUCH HAPPIER IN THEIR HEALTHCARE JOBS THAN THEY WERE HERE.

>>LORENE: DID YOU SAY 90TH PERCENTILE?

>>LILLIAN: ONE NINE, 19TH.

>>LORENE: 19TH, OKAY, STILL NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE.

>>LILLIAN: NO, NO, BUT TODAY WE'RE IN THE 86TH PERCENTILE.

BUT HOW DID I KNOW BACK THEN WHEN WE DID THE SURVEY?

WE HAD THE DATA, IT WAS ALREADY SHOWING THE ENGAGEMENT LEVELS WERE IMPROVING, BUT I ALSO HAD A FEELING, AND I COULD PICK IT UP FROM THE PATIENTS, CERTAINLY OUR LEADERS AND OUR WORKFORCE.

THE ENGAGEMENT WAS SHIFTING IN HOW THEY TREATED EACH OTHER.

THE MOST VISIBLE THING WAS THIS, WHEN I FIRST JOINED THE ORGANIZATION PEOPLE WERE ASHAMED TO WEAR THEIR BADGE AROUND TOWN, BECAUSE WE HAD A REPUTATION THAT WE EARNED AT THAT TIME.

WE HAVE EARNED A DIFFERENT REPUTATION TODAY, BUT BACK THEN, THERE WAS SHAME IN WHERE WE WORKED BECAUSE WE HAD MUCH TO DO TO IMPROVE AS AN ORGANIZATION.

AND I FULLY BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE DESERVE TO HAVE A PLACE THAT THEY'RE PROUD OF BECAUSE THEY'RE FEEDING THEIR FAMILIES, THEY'RE ROLE MODELING FOR THEIR KIDS.

SO WHEN WE DID THIS SURVEY, WHAT I NOTICED IS PEOPLE WERE WANTING TO WEAR THEIR BADGES AND THEIR HATS AND THEIR LOGO WEAR TO THE GROCERY STORE AND I'M LIKE, OH, YOU'RE NOT ASHAMED ANYMORE.

YOU WANT TO TELL THE STORY, YOU HAVE PRIDE IN THE WORKPLACE, PRIDE IN THE PLACE.

IT WAS A FEELING, AND IT WAS CERTAINLY THESE SURVEYS, SO WHEN WE WERE WILLING TO BE SURVEYED BY THE BUSINESS WEEKLY , AND I GOT THE PHONE CALL, I STILL REMEMBER BEING IN THE BACK PARKING LOT OF THE HOSPITAL WHEN ARTURO DELGADO CALLS ME TO SAY WE MADE "BEST PLACE TO WORK."

AND I'M LIKE, YOU'RE KIDDING ME.

IT WAS AMAZING, SO EVERY YEAR SINCE, I THINK TO THIS DAY, WE'RE STILL THE ONLY HEALTH SYSTEM THAT HAS MADE "BEST PLACE TO WORK" IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

THERE ARE ABOUT 37 BUSINESSES ON AVERAGE PER YEAR THAT ARE SELECTED, AND WE CONTINUE TO BE ON THAT LIST.

FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT'S A TEMPERATURE CHECK, IT TELLS ME HOW ARE WE REALLY DOING, ARE WE HONORING OUR COMMITMENT TO CREATING THIS AND NOURISHING A GREAT PLACE TO WORK.

I WILL SAY THIS, LIKE ANY ORGANIZATION OR COMPANY, WE'RE NOT PERFECT, NOBODY'S PERFECT, BUT IF YOUR OBJECTIVE IS CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND WE CAN ALWAYS BE BETTER.

IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES THAT FEEDBACK IS A GIFT, THEN YOU ALWAYS STRIVE TO BE BETTER AND THAT'S WHO WE ARE AND THAT'S THE EXPECTATION WE HAVE FOR EVERYBODY THAT JOINS THE ORGANIZATION.

>>LORENE: WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH LILLIAN MONTOYA, WHO'S THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CHRISTUS ST.

VINCENT AND I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR GOALS AS CEO BECAUSE, WELL, YOU TELL ME WHAT THEY ARE, BUT YOU HAD SAID AT ONE TIME THAT YOU WERE IN THE HUMAN BEING BUSINESS.

YOU'RE NOT IN HEALTHCARE AND BAND-AIDS AND SURGERY, YOU'RE IN HELPING HUMAN BEINGS IN THEIR STATE OF BEING TO IMPROVE THEIR BEING.

>>LILLIAN: EXACTLY.

AND I SAY THAT STILL TO THIS DAY BECAUSE IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE HEALTHCARE AND I REALLY BELIEVE WHAT WE ARE DOING AT CHRISTUS ST.

VINCENT IS REDEFINING THE WAY OF WORK IN SANTA FE AND IN NEW MEXICO BECAUSE I HAVE 2,600 COLLEAGUES THAT GO HOME, AND THEIR KIDS GET TO SEE THAT PRIDE AND JOY AND THE RESPECT THEY FEEL.

THEIR IN-LAWS SEE IT, THEIR NEIGHBORS SEE IT, PEOPLE AT THE GROCERY STORE SEE IT.

IT SIGNALS TO OTHER EMPLOYERS THESE ARE THE THINGS WE WANT FOR OUR WORKFORCE AS WELL.

AND I'M NOT SHY ABOUT GOING AND TALKING WITH EMPLOYERS WHO INVITE ME, WHICH I DO GO, I'VE HAD EMPLOYERS INVITE, I'VE HAD LEADERSHIP SANTA FE INVITE, I'VE HAD OUR LOCAL HOTEL GROUP, THEY WANT TO HEAR THE STORY OF THE JOURNEY AND FOR ME IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CHANGING THE GENERATION OF WORK IN SANTA FE AND IN NEW MEXICO, IT'S CREATING PURPOSE BEHIND THE WORK THAT WE GET TO DO TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT WORK, OFTEN MORE TIME THAN WE DO WITH OUR VERY OWN FAMILIES AND FOR ME, I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE FEEL RESPECTED AND VALUED IN GETTING TO BE CONNECTED TO THAT PURPOSE, SO THAT WHEN THEY GO HOME THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE MAKING THAT SACRIFICE FROM THEIR FAMILIES.

>>LORENE: SO WHAT YOU DID WAS TRANSFORM THE CULTURE OF THE HOSPITAL AND STAFF, SO IT WASN'T JUST A JOB NINE TO FIVE.

>>LILLIAN: EXACTLY.

>>LORENE: AND THEN JUST DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, JUST GO HOME AND GO AAAH.

>>LILLIAN: EXACTLY.

>>LORENE: YOU KNOW BUT GO HOME AND SAY WHOO.

>>LILLIAN: I WANT TO GO BACK FOR MORE EVEN THOUGH IT'S REALLY HARD, EVEN THOUGH IT'S REALLY HARD AND THERE ARE DAYS WHERE IT'S REALLY HARD.

I JUST ADMIRE OUR WORKFORCE FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO CARING FOR PEOPLE AT THEIR MOST VULNERABLE, I MEAN VERY FEW PEOPLE, I ASK PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO THE DOCTOR, DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO THE DENTAL APPOINTMENT, DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING THAT APPOINTMENT FOR YOUR HEALTH CARE CHECK, IN MOST CASES, THE ANSWER'S NO.

SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING INTO ALL OUR VARIOUS STORES TO GET CARE, IT'S OFTEN NOT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO, YOU KNOW IT'S A HAVE TO, IT'S A NEED TO.

>>LORENE: THEY FEEL CRUMMY MOST OF THE TIME TOO.

>>LILLIAN: AND THEY DO AND THEY'RE BEING GREETED BY A HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE THAT'S MEETING THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT, THAT I SAY WELCOMES THEM INTO FAMILY, BECOMES THAT HUG AND THAT COMPASSION THAT MAKES THAT VISIT JUST A LITTLE BIT EASIER.

>>LORENE: THE PANDEMIC RESPONSE.

SO IT CAME, YOU EVEN HAD TO HAVE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, AND AT THE BEGINNING PEOPLE WERE VERY FRIGHTENED AND SO YOU HAD TO PUT THIS, OKAY, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY, WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH IT THIS WAY.

AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON HOW YOU DID BECAUSE YOU HAD TO CARE, AGAIN, NOT ONLY FOR YOUR PATIENTS AND YOUR PHYSICIANS AND YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, BUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WAS BECOMING UNGLUED.

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GO ANYWHERE, THEY WOULD STAY HOME, IT WAS VERY DRAMATIC.

NOW WE'RE COMING OUT OF THAT BUT THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID WITH THAT.

I WANT TO GET TO THE CROWN JEWEL THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON.

YOU HAVE CREATED THIS AMAZING CANCER TREATMENT CENTER, AND IT'S BIG, WHAT, 80,000 SQUARE FEET?

IT'S FOR ALL OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO, ISN'T IT?

>>LILLIAN: IT'S FOR ALL OF NEW MEXICO.

I MEAN, OKAY, WE TAKE CARE OF SO MANY PEOPLE HERE.

SO WE HAVE ABOUT 35,000 TO 45,000 ENCOUNTERS AT THE CANCER CENTER, THAT'S NUMBERS OF VISITS.

SO IT'S EVERYTHING FROM LAB WORK TO CHEMOTHERAPY TO RADIOLOGY TO VISITS WITH THEIR MEDICAL ONCOLOGIST, BUT WE'RE ALSO HAVING PEOPLE THAT AREN'T ON A CANCER JOURNEY THAT CAN GO TO OUR FACILITY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ACUPUNCTURE, REIKI, AND NUTRITION CLASSES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING HERE IN THIS NEXT MONTH.

IT'S A COMMUNITY'S PLACE FOR A CANCER JOURNEY, BUT IT'S ALSO FOR PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE.

I WILL HANDS DOWN SAY IT'S ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FACILITIES IN THE STATE, IT'S NOT JUST IN THE HEALTHCARE SPACE AND IT HAS A STUNNING DISPLAY OF ART.

IF YOU'VE BEEN IN THE MAIN HOSPITAL AND YOU'VE EXPERIENCED THE ART AND THE DESIGN, IT'S PURPOSEFUL.

WHEN WE BEGAN TO DO THE FROST PAVILION AND THEN LATER THIS BEAUTIFUL CANCER CENTER, WE HAD GUIDELINES THAT I WANTED US TO FOLLOW FOR BRINGING JOY AND ART INTO THE HOSPITAL AND INTO THE CANCER CENTER BUILDING.

I WANTED TO CREATE DISTRACTION, BEAUTIFUL, JOYFUL, COLORFUL DISTRACTIONS FROM WHAT PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING IN THE MOMENT.

SO WHETHER IT'S A FAMILY MEMBER WALKING AROUND OR A PATIENT, I WANTED ART TO FEEL APPROACHABLE AND IN SANTA FE, HOW MANY OF US HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO GO TO A MUSEUM, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT AT THE HOSPITAL AND IN THE CANCER CENTER.

>>LORENE: AND ART ALSO IS VERY HEALING.

>>LILLIAN: ABSOLUTELY, IT'S HEALING, IT'S INVITING, IT PULLS YOU IN, IT MAKES THE PLACE FEEL AGAIN LIKE A BIG HUG.

AND THE LIGHT IN THAT BUILDING, COMBINED WITH THE ART AND THE PEOPLE, IT IS JUST STUNNING.

I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO JUST COME BY AND WALK INTO THE LOBBY OF THE CANCER CENTER AND JUST EXPERIENCE THE FEELING OF JUST WALKING INTO THAT BUILDING AND YOU'LL FEEL WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, IT IS A FEELING.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOU ADDED ANOTHER ELEMENT WITH YOUR COLLABORATION WITH THE FAMOUS MAYO CLINIC >>LILLIAN: YES, THAT WAS ANOTHER MOMENT, THAT WAS A PEAK MOMENT IN MY MIND THAT SAID WE'RE DOING SOMETHING BETTER, WE'RE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

AND BEING INVITED INTO THAT FAMILY WITH MAYO CLINIC, THERE'S PROBABLY JUST SHY OF 45 HOSPITALS IN THE NETWORK WITH MAYO.

.>>LORENE: NATIONALLY?

>>LILLIAN: INTERNATIONALLY.

>>LORENE: INTERNATIONALLY.

>>LILLIAN: INTERNATIONALLY.

>>LORENE: OH MY GOODNESS!

>>LILLIAN: SO, WE EARNED OUR RIGHT TO BE PART OF THE NETWORK, AND I MEET WITH THEM EVERY QUARTER, MY TEAM MEETS WITH THEM EVERY MONTH TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HONORING OUR COMMITMENT TO EACH OTHER AND THE COMMUNITY'S GOTTEN THE BENEFIT OF THAT RELATIONSHIP.

>>LORENE: WONDERFUL.

I MEAN, THEIR REPUTATION IS STERLING.

>>LILLIAN: OH, IT'S AWESOME!

>>LORENE: AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT AS A RESOURCE.

>>LILLIAN: WE ARE LEARNING FROM THEM EVERY DAY.

>>LORENE: WELL, I BET THEY'RE LEARNING FROM YOU TOO BECAUSE OF THE JOYFUL WORK CONCEPT THAT YOU ARE PROSELYTIZING.

I NEED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT VACCINES BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF VACCINE HESITANCY IN THE POPULATION.

I THINK THERE WERE CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND PEOPLE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND BUT WHATEVER IT IS, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE POPULATION OUT THERE ABOUT WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO GET A VACCINE, PARTICULARLY COVID AND THE FLU, AND NOT TO BE AFRAID, IT'S ACTUALLY, IT WILL KEEP YOU FROM GETTING VERY, VERY SICK AND MAYBE DYING.

>>LILLIAN: IT'S TIME TESTED.

WE'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF GETTING VACCINATED.

IT'S NOT JUST TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND KEEP YOU FROM GETTING COVID OR THE FLU, IT ALSO PROTECTS YOUR FAMILY, AND AS SOMEONE WHO HELPS TAKE CARE OF MY DAD AND I HAVE OTHER ELDERS IN THE FAMILY, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT THEY ARE SAFE.

THEY ARE VACCINATED, AND THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM ARE LIKEWISE VACCINATED, OUR WORKFORCE IS VACCINATED.

THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS FOR PEOPLE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS THAT THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE VACCINE, BUT THEY WEAR MASKS BECAUSE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE ENTERING OUR DOORS FEELS SAFE AND SECURE AND WILL GET CARED FOR.

SO I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET THEIR VACCINES, THEIR COVID VACCINE, THEIR FLU VACCINE, I JUST RECENTLY GOT MY SECOND SHINGLE SHOT.

EVERYTHING YOU CAN DO TO KEEP YOURSELF SAFE AND PROTECTED IS JUST A SMART THING TO DO.

>>LORENE: SO WE JUST HAVE A FEW MINUTES LEFT.

BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS AND THERE IS THE JOYFUL WORK ASPECT BUT ISN'T PANDEMIC CARE ALSO EXHAUSTING FOR CAREGIVERS.

>>LILLIAN: CARE IS ALWAYS EXHAUSTING FOR CAREGIVERS.

I WILL TELL YOU, COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, WE HAVE SEEN A 28% INCREASE IN PATIENT VOLUME.

SO, WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE TRAVELING FROM OUTSIDE SANTA FE PROPER TO GET CARE BECAUSE EITHER THEY CAN'T GET CARE CLOSE TO HOME, MEANING THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER PROVIDING IT.

SO WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE LABOR AND DELIVERY DESERTS WHERE WOMEN CAN'T DELIVER, WE HAVE INDEPENDENT PRIMARY CARE CLINICS THAT HAVE CLOSED AND SO, IN MOST CASES, WHEN YOU COME TO OUR HOSPITAL OR OUR CLINICS, IF YOU LOOK TO YOUR LEFT OR TO YOUR RIGHT, YOU'RE PROBABLY SHARING THAT WAITING ROOM WITH SOMEONE THAT DROVE FROM TAOS, LAS VEGAS, LOS ALAMOS, EL RITO, RATON, ALBUQUERQUE, GALLUP, I'M NOT EXAGGERATING.

SO, WE ARE SEEING MORE PEOPLE.

SO OUR STAFF, OUR WORKFORCE, FEELS THE WEIGHT OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY, SO WE FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP MAKE IT EASIER TO GET PATIENTS INTO AND THROUGH THE HOSPITAL, BUT WHAT ARE WE ALSO DOING IN THE ENVIRONMENT THAT BRINGS OUR WORKFORCE TOGETHER SO THEY FEEL CARED FOR AND THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THEIR WELL-BEING AS WELL.

IT DOES PRESENT A DIFFERENT CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.

>>LORENE: YEAH, SO COULD YOU TELL ME THE PATIENT VOLUME AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS SORT OF HUGE.

>>LILLIAN: SO, I PUT IT IN CONTEXT, ABOUT 50,000 PEOPLE A YEAR COME TO OUR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, THEY ENTER THAT DOOR.

ABOUT 35,000 TO 45,000 COME IN THROUGH THE CANCER CENTER A YEAR, ABOUT 11,000 PEOPLE A YEAR STAY THE NIGHT, THEY BECOME AN INPATIENT ADMISSION AT THE HOSPITAL.

BUT THIS LAST YEAR ALONE, 680,000 APPOINTMENTS ON THE CLINIC SIDE, ON THE AMBULATORY SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

SO I'M AMAZED AT OUR PEOPLE AND THEIR ABILITY TO CARE FOR THE MANY, THEY TRULY ARE LIVING THEIR PURPOSE AND TRULY WANT TO BE THERE FOR EVERYONE WHO WALKS THROUGH OUR DOORS.

BUT THE NUMBERS ARE HIGHER THAN EVER, WE'RE EVEN SEEING YEAR OVER YEAR, WE ARE SEEING A 25% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE TRAVELING FROM ALBUQUERQUE, WHICH TELLS ME THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO THE CARE THEY NEED THERE AS WELL.

BUT ALL OF THAT TO SAY, THE LARGER HOSPITALS ARE GOING TO FEEL THAT GREATER WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY AS HEALTH CARE CONTINUES TO SHIFT AND RURAL COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE FOR HEALTH CARE DELIVERY AND IT'S NOT RIGHT, HONESTLY.

WE NEED OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES TO SURVIVE, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT PATIENTS AND FAMILIES CAN GET CARE CLOSEST TO HOME, BUT UNTIL WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT FULLY, HOSPITALS LIKE OURS AND UNM AND LOVELACE, THE PRESBYTERIANS, THE SAN JUANS, THE LARGER HOSPITALS ARE GOING TO FEEL THAT GREATER WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO TRAVEL FURTHER AND THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO TRAVEL FURTHER TO GET CARE.

>>LORENE: AND THERE'S ANOTHER WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO INTO NOW, BUT I HOPE YOU'LL COME BACK, AND THAT'S THE WEIGHT OF THE COST, THE INCREASING COST OF MEDICAL MALPRACTICE INSURANCE.

>>LILLIAN: THAT IS THE STORY.

>>LORENE: THAT IS THE STORY.

>>LILLIAN: IT'S A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON NOT ONLY ON US AS A HOSPITAL, WHERE WE'VE SEEN A 230% INCREASE IN THE COST OF OUR PREMIUM, BUT THAT'S ROUGHLY $54 MILLION THAT'S NOT GOING TO PATIENT CARE, IT'S GOING TO MEDICAL MALPRACTICE.

>>LORENE: WELL, PLEASE COME BACK BECAUSE WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT, PEOPLE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT IN THE EYE.

BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING, OUR GUEST TODAY IS LILLIAN MONTOYA, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CHRISTUS ST.

VINCENT AND ALSO THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AT CHRISTUS NEW MEXICO.

THANK YOU FOR THE JOYFUL AND WONDERFUL WORK YOU DO AND THANK YOU FOR COMING ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE.

>>LILLIAN: THANK YOU FOR HELPING US TELL OUR STORY.

>>LORENE: I'M HAPPY TO, AND WE WILL CONTINUE.

>>LILLIAN: OKAY, THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: AND I'M LORENE MILLS.

I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR AUDIENCE, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

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