McLaren's new Chief Medical Officer champions communication for better health care

PETOSKEY — Effective communication within an organization is paramount for success, this is especially true within hospitals where critical decisions may determine lives.

Dr. John Kennedy, the newly appointed Chief Medical Officer at McLaren Northern Michigan hospital in Petoskey, understands this reality better than most.

With for-profit financial realities playing daily tug-of-war with health care service needs, Kennedy acts as a bridge between hospital physicians and administrators, describing it as "an ambassador position."

“I am the liaison between the administration and the doctors,” he explained.

Since assuming the position a little over a month ago, Kennedy has focused on familiarizing himself with the hospital's culture, employees and history.

“I'm still in the acculturation and information gathering phase. I've been drinking from a firehose, yeah, learning new names and new people and culture and history. And every place has its own,” said Kennedy.

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With a focus on rebuilding and rebalancing health care in a post-COVID world, he emphasized the need for effective communication and collaboration between medical staff and administration.

Citing recent changes in the hospital's administrative structure, including medical staff changes, Kennedy said, “I think there's a lot of rebuilding and relearning and relationship building right now (that needs to be done)."

To foster cohesion among medical staff, Kennedy plans to organize social and networking events. He stressed the importance of re-establishing trust and camaraderie among colleagues, citing initiatives such as small formal dinners to facilitate interaction among physicians from various specialties.

“COVID has totally blown up in-person events that medical staffs used to get to with their families. I think we have become fractured and disparate,” said Kennedy. “We need to get back on track.”

Moving from Cincinnati, with degrees in both psychiatry and hospital administration, Kennedy straddles the line between medical expertise and executive leadership. He underscored the symbiotic relationship between doctors and administrators, advocating for mutual understanding and support.

While acknowledging the challenges of rural health care recruitment and retention, Kennedy said he is committed to providing high-quality care to the numerous communities served by McLaren Northern Michigan hospital.

“I’m grateful to Petoskey and to McLaren, for offering me this opportunity. It would have been very easy to just continue doing what I was doing in Cincinnati. I recognize the difference in environment and culture between Northern Michigan and an urban center like Cincinnati. And I think that the folks that live in the counties we serve deserve excellent, high-quality care. And so we've got, a sacred task to make sure that they get it,” he said.

— Contact reporter Annie Doyle at (231) 675-0099 and adoyle@charlevoixcourier.com

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: McLaren's new Chief Medical Officer champions communication for better health care