4 minute read
THE CHAMBER ALX SPOTLIGHT
Katie Slattery
INOVA HEART & VASCULAR INSTITUTE
Story by Kellie Gunderman Photography Courtesy of Invova Media Services
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen many members of the healthcare industry emerge to care for their communities. These dedicated men and women are being celebrated by all for their passion, courage and compassion. Katie Slattery, Assistant Vice President of Ambulatory Services for the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute, is no exception. From the start of the COVID-19 crisis, Katie has been leading her team to re-engineer every facet of her department’s care delivery model to ensure that patient and staff safety have remained a top priority. “The constantly changing situation has led to unprecedented anxiety and uncertainty so, as a leader, it’s been more critical than ever to stay calm, engage all of our team members in response planning and decision making, and also focus forward on how we will rebound for the devastating impact COVID-19 has had.”
Following in her late father’s footsteps, who graduated from one of the first master of hospital administration programs in the country (Duke University) in the 1970’s, Katie uses his advice to guide her. “There are principles he taught me, both growing up and as I was entering the field, that I have incorporated into every single day of my career; namely integrity, humility, preparation and adaptability.” Katie is proud to emulate her father's genuine sense of interest and kindness when working with everyone, from environmental services staff and physicians to patients and their families. "The admiration I have for the work that my colleagues have done and continue to do... there are just no words. It is an honor to work alongside to support our patients."
The constantly changing situation has led to unprecedented anxiety and uncertainty so, as a leader, it’s been more critical than ever to stay calm, engage all of our team members in response planning and decision making, and also focus forward on how we will rebound for the devastating impact COVID-19 has had.
Though Katie has undoubtedly already made her father proud, she keeps charging forward, humbly admitting that success for any healthcare leader is marked by the ability to create a shared vision with a diverse and talented team. “In my position, success is largely dependent on building relationships with others so that we can effectively respond to challenges and change with honesty, candor and trust.” Katie’s Inova colleagues are proud of the environment she has created by listening and taking the time to understand the perspectives of others.
In addition to enjoying working with others to achieve strategic goals, Katie revels in the fact that no day at Inova is ever the same. “I balance meetings focused on strategy, growth and outcomes with spending time in my operational areas. Sometimes I am here at the hospital for the entire day and other times I may visit multiple care sites to meet with physicians, leaders and team members.” This dynamic role may appear daunting to some, but Katie finds joy in working with so many different types of people in various environments. “Healthcare is an exceptionally diverse environment that attracts people from a wide array of ethnic, socioeconomic and educational backgrounds that all work together towards a common goal: providing the best care possible for our patients.” Providing exceptional care to others is a mission that everyone in healthcare is extremely passionate about, which has always been one of the driving forces behind Katie’s decision to enter the healthcare industry. But it is Inova’s clear and strong commitment to provide world-class healthcare to each person in every community that made choosing ‘a home’ easy for her. “Inova has always been committed to supporting and promoting programs and services across the communities in which we live and work. In 2018 alone, our total community investment was $323 million and included investments in behavioral health services for families and compassionate care for victims of abuse, funding Medicaid and uninsured medical services, and redoubling our efforts to combat substance abuse and opioid addiction.”
When Katie is not working alongside the Inova staff to lead the COVID-19 response within our community, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters at their home in Alexandria. “My husband has been the true hero in our family during the COVID-19 health crisis. He is teleworking full-time from home and singlehandedly managing our 3- and 5-year old girls while I’ve been at work. We have had to get very creative trying to keep them busy, especially on the weekends!”
Courtesy of Invova Media Services
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