As I take on leading RSM’s national health care practice, I’m reminded of the remarkable leadership before me and the privilege I’ve had in working with Dan Vandenberghe, our outgoing practice leader, as well as others throughout the firm. I have so much admiration for the previous efforts which built the practice to what it has become today. I am so excited for what is to come and to build upon the strong foundation. I’m also mindful of the sacrifices and immense change the health care industry has encountered given the impact of COVID-19.
In many ways, the pandemic has been an accelerator to the health care industry, speeding up the need and demand for optimized telehealth offerings, fortified cybersecurity to protect data and access, and improved price transparency to meet consumer preferences and regulatory requirements. And given the increased flow of data related to new technologies and systems, a heightened need of analytics is and will be needed to continually understand patient needs, health system operations and more.
In addition, COVID-19 has awakened the need for better population health management where focus must turn to the front end of the wellness journey with preventive healthier lifestyles and care as opposed to the back end of the journey with intensive care unit and hospital stays. Data assessment can help us make smarter decisions about what to improve, how to save costs and where to expand care. Deploying, utilizing and understanding how technology touches every facet and opportunity within the health care industry is key.
In many of these areas and more, from data analytics or cybersecurity consulting to internal audit compliance or revenue cycle offerings, we’ve enhanced our services to meet our RSM clients’ needs so health care organizations can in turn serve their communities better. We’ll continue to follow key trends to anticipate changes in the sector. That’s our promise as first-choice advisors, not only to our clients, but the entire health care industry.
I’m a competitive person at heart, as many who know me would attest. These challenges that our clients and industry face are a call to action for me. As I see it, health care organizations embrace two critical areas: mission and margin. Mission speaks to the commitment to healing, care and community. Margin connects with the idea of business entrepreneurship, making money and growth. Both of these areas are passions of mine—helping people and growing business—key reasons I’ll fight for client success. But I know I can’t do it alone. Collaboration is also a big part of our success equation, and I’ll continually look for ways to integrate collected ideas and insights throughout our RSM lines of business and practice areas. I’m also a proponent of diverse voices and embrace the collected differences we have as a firm. We are stronger when inclusion is a practiced priority. Our clients reap the rewards of our best and brightest professionals across the firm in audit, tax and consulting.
I was asked recently why I decided to focus my career in health care. Actually, the industry chose me, in a way. Years ago, when I began my accounting profession, the firm I was working for just happened to drop me in the health care industry. They had an opening and a need, so there I landed. Almost immediately, however, I became passionate about the industry. While working with hospital and health care provider clients, I saw firsthand the value in how these organizations healed the sick, helped individuals struggling with addictions, provided treatments for cancer patients and delivered babies. Nothing made me happier than to see smiling family members go home with a patient made well again. I saw how health care organizations changed people’s lives. Then I saw how organizations were able to earn a margin from the services provided. It was such a win-win across the board. I appreciated being part of that. I was hooked. And today, that passion more than remains.
I’m grateful for this opportunity to lead RSM’s health care practice in such a transformational time for the industry. We are ready to help clients meet the challenges and the promise of exciting opportunities for years to come. I look forward to working with our talented professionals and clients, improving mission, margin and so much more.
