HJLR Nov/Dec 2018

dialogue 12 NOV / DEC 2018 I  Healthcare Journal of LITTLE ROCK   Chief Editor Smith W. Hartley What has drawn you to the field of pediatrics and chil- dren’s health? Marcy Doderer  I have always been intrigued by the complex problems children’s health- care poses. There is so much potential to impact people personally in pediatrics, and the care they receive influences them for the rest of their lives. I am also inspired by my daughters, Emily and Katie. Emily is a second-year medical student, and Katie is a junior in college pursuing a degree in math and education, with a minor in music. They are talented, funny, and thoughtful. Katie has a rare disease, congenital central hypoven- tilation syndrome, which basically means her brain doesn’t tell her body to breathe. Our family understands chronic illness— long nights in the ICU, establishing relation- ships with helpful care providers, and nav- igating complicated insurance roadblocks. Katie’s experience is a driving force in my life. Seeing bothmy daughters thrive under- scores for me every day the tremendous importance of the work we do in children’s healthcare. Editor How would you describe your lead- ership style? Doderer  Transformational, visionary, and compassionate. Editor Please discuss reimbursement and research funding models. Are they adequate for a children’s hospital, or is change needed? Doderer  This is a difficult question to answer succinctly. Without tackling the obli- gation to lower the costs of delivering health care, we might find reimbursements inad- equate. Arkansas Children’s is working dil- igently to make our processes and sys- tems more efficient and more effective. At the same time, however, we are inun- dated with advanced technologies, devel- oping treatment options and new pharma- ceuticals, all of which by their very nature drive up cost, and many of which come with no new revenue. It becomes a chal- lenge to fund your work in a meaningful and market-competitive way. It’s a para- dox, and I certainly wish I knew the answer. The best we can do right now is listen to and help craft the many practical solutions that are being offered and keep at the heart of the conversation how they impact what is best for children. Funding for pediatric- centric research is not adequate. As tradi- tional sources of extramural funding for research become more difficult to secure, we are exploring other sources of funding from those who wish to invest in creating a better tomorrow for children. Editor Please characterize the training of pediatric care givers. How is it evolving? Doderer  One of the most impactful ways I’ve seen pediatric training evolve is through the use of simulation education. On our campus, we have a center dedicated to put- ting both students and experienced provid- ers through simulation training. Our team creates curricula using emerging technolo- gies to better understand how care provider actions might impact a patient’s body. This M arcy Doderer, FACHE took the helm as President and Chief Executive Officer of Arkansas Children’s Hospital in 2013. Previously, she served as a member of senior leadership for CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System in various capacities since 2002. She became Administrator for CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital in 2008 and led the effort to transform the facility into the freestanding Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. Doderer is a Fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives and is active in many professional organizations. She has served on various boards and committees at the state and national levels aimed at improving child health. She is currently a member of the Children’s Hospital Solutions for Patient Safety Board of Directors, serves on the Education Committee of the Children’s Hospital Association and the board of Healthy Active Arkansas. As a professional and a mother, Doderer is passionate about improving healthcare for children in Arkansas. She obtained a BS in Finance from Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, and MA in Hospital and Health Administration from The University of Iowa.