Verity Healthcare

HCA Healthcare’s management improvement applications have performed a pivotal function in Robert Sabina’s profession with the Nashville, Tenn.-based well being system.

Mr. Sabina joined HCA Healthcare in 2017 as assistant vice chairman of strategic planning for the Gulf Coast division. In January, he transitioned from COO of HCA Houston Healthcare Conroe (Texas) to CEO of HCA Houston Healthcare Medical Heart, a 372-bed acute care hospital.

“There is a strong community of applications and folks that may assist people put together for after which facilitate the transition into management roles,” Mr. Sabina informed Becker’s. The community consists of management institutes, nurse chief certification applications, govt improvement applications and formal mentorships.

“Particular to the transition, there are very well-structured transition plans,” he stated. “The assist framework provided by HCA Healthcare is, in my expertise, unparalleled in making ready leaders to tackle more and more accountable roles.”

Mentorship, each inner and exterior, has been significantly impactful throughout his transition, he stated.

“I can not say sufficient concerning the divisional and group management throughout the construction of HCA Healthcare, and particularly, the peer community of physicians, leaders, CEOs, and different chiefs, whom I’ve met with in my first 60 days within the function and discovered from their expertise and steerage in that formal mentorship relationship,” he stated.

First 90 days: Setting a basis

Within the early months of his tenure, Mr. Sabina has prioritized assembly with bedside colleagues, board members and management groups to evaluate the hospital’s wants, alternatives and historical past of efficiency.

To align his management crew, he has targeted on setting clear priorities, using information in decision-making, and creating shared accountability and cadence round organizational aims.

“I consider that any transition, management or in any other case, begins with listening and studying,” Mr. Sabina stated.

In 2025, Mr. Sabina is prioritizing programmatic growth, with a give attention to constructing acuity and depth of the hospital’s cardiovascular companies line and advancing common surgical procedure, complicated GI and colorectal service traces by robotics and different technological and course of investments. He’s additionally taking a look at increasing surgical oncology companies and orthopedic and backbone applications to supply extra complicated care.

Healthcare workforce sustainability 

Addressing workforce shortages can be high of thoughts, Mr. Sabina stated.

“I am lucky to be a part of HCA Healthcare — this group has taken a lead function in addressing a few of these points, each by direct intervention, as is the case within the improvement of resident education schemes to deal with doctor workforce shortages, but additionally by partnerships,” he stated. 

One instance is HCA Healthcare’s partnership with Louisville, Ky.-based Galen School of Nursing, which is aimed toward strengthening nursing training and workforce pipelines. The system turned the school’s majority proprietor in 2020, establishing the most important academic-practice partnership within the nation, Mr. Sabina stated. 

Since then, Galen has expanded by opening or saying 16 new campuses. HCA Healthcare additionally provides the Galen School of Nursing Grant, enabling colleagues to finish a web based RN to BSN diploma with zero out-of-pocket tuition prices.

“Our collaboration with Houston Neighborhood School round accelerated CT applications is one other instance of how we’re addressing shortages,” he stated.