Leading by Example

By Mak Millard

For all the technological innovations and hard-won medical knowledge improving health outcomes by the day, it is often the empathy shown by those wielding that knowledge that has the most profound impact on patients. That’s not to say that every “people person” is cut out for the strenuous demands of the industry. But for those professionals whose social skills are matched by a bone-deep caring instinct and a drive to help others, there is no greater calling than health care. Though he supposes it’s “a bit cliché” to say, Shane Frazier, CEO of Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral Healthcare System, readily admits to being one of those people. “I have always been a people person,” he said. “When I began considering career paths in college, health care seemed like a natural fit, where I could combine my love for people with a desire to make a positive impact on the world around me.”

Frazier entered the field through nursing, obtaining his degree at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and spending several years with CHI St. Vincent in Little Rock. As he grew and took on different roles, he gained experience across several service lines and areas of care. Even after earning his MBA and transitioning into leadership, he maintained a passion for behavioral health above all. So, when the opportunity to join Pinnacle Pointe arose, it was an obvious career choice. Nine years into his tenure as CEO of the Little Rock system, Frazier also serves as Group CEO supporting Rivendell Behavioral Health Services and The BridgeWay in Central Arkansas.

“I do not take the privilege of caring for others lightly. It’s a tremendous responsibility to care for someone when they are hurting or vulnerable,” he said. “I hope that I’ve poured good things into Pinnacle and the health care of our community so I can leave it better than I found it.”

In his time at Pinnacle Pointe, Frazier has seen the psychiatric treatment center evolve to provide a full spectrum of care to families. Whether it’s inpatient, sub-acute or traditional outpatient care, or even school- or community-based services, Pinnacle Pointe works to meet people where they are.

“Hands down, the most rewarding part of my work is seeing patients get better. I love to hear from the patients or their families how our team helped them get their life or loved one back,” Frazier said. “Our team gives of themselves daily to pour life into others who have often lost their will to live. Their jobs are often emotionally exhausting, but they show up day after day in big ways to help others.”

In addition, Pinnacle Pointe has significantly increased its outreach to military families under Frazier’s leadership. That extra investment has not only benefited the families Pinnacle Pointe serves, it also has earned the health system a Patriot Support Program designation — an accomplishment shared by only nine other child and adolescent facilities across the country.

“Military families have unique needs given the challenges of relocation, deployment and other issues the civilian world rarely encounters,” Frazier said. “Our team has undergone training and education to better understand these unique challenges and offer healing and support to our military families.”

Frazier’s commitment to military families extends beyond the walls of Pinnacle Pointe. He was an honorary commander at the Little Rock Air Force Base for three years and continues to serve on the LRAFB Community Council.

“[I] was able to see firsthand the incredible dedication, sacrifice and resilience of our military families in action,” he said. “It was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had in my professional life, so I try to stay connected in support of the base as much as possible.”

Despite the change in scenery from the nurse’s station to the C-suite, Frazier’s nursing experience keeps him grounded in the real meaning behind his work. For him, if the “why” is there, the “what” will fall into place accordingly.

“Regulatory issues, managed care issues and continually changing technology are multi-faceted variables in the delivery of health care in our country. However, they’re distractions from the ‘why’ of what we do,” he said. “None of those issues can take precedence over just doing right by the patient.”

Frazier has seen a lot of changes over his 25 years in the industry, and he is transparent about the challenges — both old and new — that face caregivers at every level of behavioral health.

“Something I often discuss with my team is how patients with a medical illness like cancer or heart disease seek care because they are fighting to live,” he said. “Often in mental health care, it’s the opposite. The patients have lost their hope or their desire to live altogether, while others suffer from an addiction to substances that could end their life if they don’t choose treatment to save them, yet they often contest treatment.

“The patient may come to our facility because a family member or loved one has convinced them to seek care, but oftentimes, due to the nature of their illness, they may lack the desire to get better. It can be tough on our team members, who are wired to help people get better, to work with patients who lack the desire to get better. But the incredible caregivers I am privileged to work with never cease to find ways to convince the patient to ‘want’ to get better and convince them life is worth living.”

One of the most significant trends Frazier has noticed recently is the impact of social media on mental wellbeing. People of all ages can be vulnerable to the negative effects of the internet age, but these consequences can be es- pecially severe in children.

“We are seeing kids younger and younger with serious and persistent mental illness. The increase in anxiety disorders, depression and issues of selfharm are pervasive,” Frazier said. “Social media platforms have emboldened individuals to say and do things that weren’t allowed, much less advertised, in the past. This constant stream of information often overwhelms individuals to the point where they struggle to function or seek whatever means necessary to escape.”

No matter the given obstacle, Frazier emphasized the importance of having the right mindset as a team to better serve others. If the goal is to change lives, he explained, health care can never be just a “job.”

“Every member of the team must carry out a personal calling to help others, or it will weaken the entire team,” Frazier said. “Behavioral health is a challenging field. It can lead to people approaching a situation with a ‘What is wrong with you?’ mentality, because it’s counterintuitive to think someone might not want to get better. However, if we approach every patient with a ‘What happened to you?’ mentality, it can completely change the interaction from one of judgment to one of empathy, and that makes all the difference.”

Frazier hopes to be an example for his team in this regard. He wants everyone he works with to feel his passion for the work and be inspired by the same vision that pulls him out of bed every day.

“Our mission statement is simple: ‘To Hope, To Heal, To Laugh, To Live.’ We offer hope to the hopeless to begin a path to healing. Healing will bring joy and laughter, and this will empower one to live again. If each member of our team brings this spirit to every interaction, our vision will be fulfilled — nurturing broken lives, healing families and transforming behavioral health care by providing the best care in Arkansas.”