Shelly Buck, President, Riddle Hospital

Shelly Buck, president of Riddle Hospital, sat down with Invest: to discuss how the hospital is adapting to regional closures while preparing for the future of care delivery and more regulatory changes. “Our strategy continues to evolve as closures occur, but those preparations — particularly retaining and renovating space that we weren’t originally planning to keep — have paid off,” said Buck.

What changes over the past year have most impacted your strategy and operations at Riddle Hospital?

Over the past year, there have been significant changes in the region’s healthcare landscape. A local healthcare system closed its doors, and about two years ago it had already begun to decrease access. In response, we started preparing for a possible closure, even as we moved forward with a master campus modernization plan that aimed to transition care into our newer facilities. As part of that plan, we built a new pavilion with 78 private acuity-adaptable beds, 10 new operating rooms, a new labor and delivery suite, and two new C-section rooms.

The closure of multiple hospitals in the area created a huge void in primary care, OB-GYN care, specialty care access and more. Our strategy continues to evolve as closures occur, but those preparations — particularly retaining and renovating space that we weren’t originally planning to keep — have paid off. The legacy buildings we kept have been critical in accommodating patients who need care.

We’ve also had to adapt our operations in response to these systemic closures. For example, the emergency response for 911 calls has changed. At Riddle, we participate in the 911 system, and our reach has expanded because Crozer-Chester Medical Center previously responded to 51% of the county. In partnership with other providers, we’ve had to step in and provide services to municipalities that Crozer once covered.

What makes Delaware County an ideal location for your hospital, how does it differ from other markets in the region?

This county is a wonderful place to live. There are so many options for people looking to settle down. We have great parks, a strong transportation system and a booming housing market with many new developments underway. There are also older, historic homes with beautiful architecture. The county has worked hard to make housing more affordable to attract young families. That has been great for the hospital, because with younger families come births and the need for healthcare across the continuum of care.

One of the things I love about being in the suburbs of Philadelphia is the proximity to the culture, arts and diversity the city offers. We also benefit from a wide variety of attractions and strong academic settings, including universities and trade schools.

How would you describe the local talent landscape within the region, and how is Riddle Hospital working to attract and retain top-tier talent?

We attract and retain top talent with our culture, and we have a very culture-driven strategy. Main Line Health is a welcoming, open, thriving, engaging, supportive and developing culture. There is tremendous opportunity here for people to grow, learn, contribute and give back. That growth does not always mean advancement within a particular field. It could mean expanding beyond one’s expertise. We have nurses who want to move into business operations, food and service workers who want to transition into patient care, and the list goes on. We support them in developing their skill sets, and I believe that is very attractive to many people.

Like every other healthcare system, we are challenged with shortages, particularly among physicians and nurses. Recruiting is not for the faint of heart; you have to be creative and innovative to attract talent. Compensation is another key factor, and we stay competitive within our market. We also support staff in furthering their education and compensate them later in their careers for that growth. Developing the talent we already have while attracting new staff is imperative.

Many healthcare systems are going through reductions in force and laying people off. People are now more mobile than they have been in decades, and we are tapping into those areas to attract individuals.

How are you incorporating technology to fill gaps or create efficiencies, and how is it changing how you deliver care and manage your operations?

Technology is one of the most interesting and fun topics in healthcare today because it pushes us to think differently, broadly and deeply about how care is delivered. It will never replace the human touch, but we must embrace it to improve efficiency and care delivery. One of the most important benefits technology brings is in the collection and interpretation of data. We still need humans to review that data, but technology can significantly speed up the process. It allows us to research more deeply and be more detailed and targeted in our next steps. That leads to greater efficiency and time savings, which is where I see technology really benefiting healthcare.

When it comes to care provision, robotics stand out. Robotics have been part of healthcare for more than 40 years, and it is remarkable to watch a surgeon perform an operation not by hand, but from 10 feet away at a console controlling robotic arms or devices inside the patient. This enables surgery to be done faster, cleaner, with more precision and accuracy, and often with fewer complications. If we can provide care through robotics or other technology that eliminates the need for an incision, why would we go backward? That is the direction we need to keep moving — evolving and perfecting current technologies while continuing to develop new ones will be largely beneficial.

How do you envision the future of healthcare delivery, particularly in relation to the role of hospitals and the shift toward alternative sites of care?

The future of healthcare is changing. Sites of care will continue to evolve and move outside of acute care hospitals. As care delivery and processes improve, I believe it is important to keep finding ways to help people heal in spaces outside of the hospital. At the same time, we need to advance care for higher-acuity and sicker patients, particularly in community hospitals.

As I look across the healthcare sector and the many opportunities we have to do things differently, I get really excited. People want to heal at home, and most of them don’t want to come to the hospital. There is real value there that has yet to be fully tapped into.