by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Closing in on his first year as CEO of Mayo Clinic, Dr. William Rupp is proud of what’s been accomplished.
The finances of the health care company are doing “very well” compared to last year, he said, after a year dedicated to cutting waste and becoming financially leaner.
“We’re focusing on getting cost down,” said Rupp. “We’re getting leaner ... there’s no more money in the system, so we’re doing what we can.”
The economy has had an effect on the industry through the accumulation of more client bad debt and uninsured patients, something Rupp and medical officials all over the country have no control over.
While other health care companies might spend more money, that doesn’t always equate to a better level of service or care, he said, which is why he continues to teach on the utilization of resources and eliminating health care wastes.
“More is not necessarily better,” he said, referring to a study done that compared costs among different locations that showed no disparity.
Amid the rising costs and other economic factors, Rupp hasn’t had to cut any of the staff of around 5,000.
Morale is largely up, he said, due to what he believes is a combination of those lack of cuts and a continued increase in the success rate of procedures. Rupp also said he has settled into the hospital and enjoys the work and the staff.
“I love everyone here,” he said. “They all have the goal of the patient in mind and doing what they can to help, and when things go successfully, morale does increase.”
Moving forward, his two main goals are to eliminate infections acquired within Mayo itself, such as pneumonia through breathing tubes that allow bacteria, and to further reduce costs.
The two are related in several ways, as a needed attention to detail affects both. With better care of patients, infections that can cost anywhere from $10,000–$25,000 to treat can be reduced — or as Rupp hopes, eliminated altogether — which would save on costs.
He’s had a strong attention to detail himself, as over the past months he’s been learning as many names and faces of the 5,000 Mayo employees as possible. To date, he believes he’s met maybe half of the Mayo family, but admits he’s sometimes bad with one aspect.
“I’m sometimes bad with names,” he said, laughing.
Rupp was named Mayo Jacksonville CEO in November, with Mayo Clinic President and CEO Dr. Denis Cortese calling him a “physician-leader who brings ... a combination of health care knowledge, operational excellence and an understanding of how health care issues impact patients,” upon the appointment.
A longtime oncologist, Rupp moved to the area immediately from Wisconsin, with his wife Dr. Jan Clarke — a cardiologist who now works at the local Mayo as well — who came down in June. The two reside in Ponte Vedra Beach with their two dogs. While busy days of work turn to weeks, the two do manage to get away for an annual canoe trip, though not this year.
“I’ll get to it next year,” he said, smiling.
As time consuming as being CEO of the local campus is, Rupp has a passion for being able to influence the health care industry on a broader level. But, by doing so he has put aside another joy.
“I do miss the personal interaction with patients,” he said, “and being able to assist them one-on-one.”
That could change soon, though, as Rupp said he hopes to come out of semiretirement and see patients on a limited basis.
Close to a year in, he’s fallen in love with the weather — but even more with those around him.
“I enjoy my job greatly because of the wonderful people around me,” he said. “I fell in love with them.”
While the eyes of the health care industry and citizens alike might be affixed to Washington, D.C. for potential health care reform, Rupp believes the next year for Mayo Clinic will be an exciting one, especially regarding the clinic’s own costs.
“We don’t know what the future will hold,” he said, regarding potential reform. “I think it’s going to be really exciting (for everyone at Mayo Clinic) ... I’m really determined to do a few things and find out how to get our costs down.”
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