A Conversation with Cathleen Wheatley, DNP, RN, CENP, President of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, System Chief Nurse Executive and Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations for Wake Forest Baptist Health
Published February 24, 2020
What are the challenges associated with creating a positive human experience in healthcare and how does one lead in a way that creates harmony for an entire healthcare system? These are questions that Cathleen Wheatley delves into including healthcare’s obligation to go out and create change in communities, not only within hospital walls. She depicts partnering with patients to form a personal connection that goes beyond a standard checklist.
Cathleen Wheatley views her leadership role as knitting, a perfect visual for how she integrates and balances priorities such as increasing acute care needs, financial obligations, and investing back into research to improve the overall human experience in healthcare. Listen until the end, for a preview of her Patient Experience Conference 2020 keynote speech.
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