Pros
I am a bit of an anomaly in the health care industry ( or any industry these days) as a long-time employee. In my 21 years with Sutter Health, I have seen many changes in health care and am always impressed by the unremitting commitment to its not-for-profit mission accomplished through smart business practices. There is a demonstrated commitment to promoting from within and developing talent. My experience has included 3 different "careers" in my tenure with this company and I continue to feel valued and supported in my work. In spite of reducing reimbursements and higher costs, the innovation and shared best practices culture has resulted in high quality health care delivered across the organization.
Cons
Outside of technology, I'm not sure there is any industry that has experienced as many changes as health care so these comments are likely to resonate with anyone working for a health care system in the US today. I see inconsistent commitment to a strong physician strategy. Some of the local markets have strong relationships with the local provider community while others have virtually no strategy and therefore, weak relationships. Physicians are a fickle bunch but they are the key to sustaining and growing a diverse health care operation.
