Dr. Barbara Griffith began her tenure as the sixth CEO of Woman’s Hospital on Oct. 21. Griffith brings to her new position some 20 years of clinical practice experience, along with more than 15 years in health care leadership roles, including, most recently, serving as former chief medical officer of Duke Regional Hospital.
Business Report recently chatted with Griffith for its Executive Spotlight feature. Read the full Q&A. Here’s a sample of what you’ll find.
As the new CEO of Woman’s Hospital, what are your top priorities for your first year on the job?
“Woman’s is a unique hospital with a long history of serving this community. I need to learn the place and the wonderful people who make it what it is. After that, it is all about figuring out what I can do to contribute to its future success. Learning the needs of the community, the region and the state is also a critical part of shaping Woman’s future in order to continue its long tradition of service. That’s a major focus for me this year as well.”
Before being selected to lead Woman’s Hospital, you served as chief medical officer and chief of business operations for Duke Regional Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. In what ways do you hope to use this experience for your role at Woman’s, and what is different about Baton Rouge as a health care market?
“My previous roles have given me a deep understanding of health care, from the bedside to the executive suite. Thus far, I’m not finding significant differences between Baton Rouge and Raleigh-Durham. I came from a college town in the South that is frequently affected by severe weather…so it’s been easy for Baton Rouge to start to feel like home. Ultimately, health care is about putting the patients and their families first, and you can do that well no matter where you are.”
