Richard Parks is a retired healthcare executive with a career that spanned 38 years. He served as President and CEO of Covenant Health System in Lubbock, TX for 11 years.
Previously, Parks was President and CEO of West Tennessee Healthcare in Jackson, TN and President and CEO at Cape Fear Valley Health System in Fayetteville, NC.
If you have adopted this tactic, or any others featured in this series, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us to share your story.
By Neill Marshall, Chairman, HealthSearch Partners and Kurt Mosley, Associations Practice Leader, HealthSearch Partners.
“Make or break” time. That’s how most newly hired healthcare executives describe their first 90 days on the job. We asked these leaders to share with us an innovative tactic they employed during these critical days to help them succeed in their new role. We especially wanted to hear about actions that established trust and fostered relationships. HealthSearch Partners is pleased to introduce this first article in a series featuring insights from these accomplished hospital and health system CEOs. One such leader is Richard Parks, a seasoned CEO whose bold and unexpected approach delivered exceptional results.
Sleeping in the Hospital: Immersing in the Culture
Richard Parks, who has led several major healthcare systems, adopted a highly unconventional yet powerful tactic during his first 90 days: spending one or two nights a week sleeping in the hospital in the same accommodations afforded the medical staff. This immersive strategy allowed him to experience life as his team did, gaining a firsthand understanding of their challenges, routines, and culture.
Parks said, “There was one or two nights a week that I slept at the hospital. They had a sleeping room for doctors on call, and I would sleep in there with them. I experienced everything they experienced.” This tactic wasn’t merely symbolic—it allowed him to live the same life as his doctors, forging connections through shared experiences and empathy.
Building Authentic Relationships in the Doctor’s Lounge
One of the most significant benefits Parks observed was the relationships he built during these early months. He prioritized spending time with doctors in informal settings, eating meals in the doctor’s lounge, and engaging in casual conversations. “I would eat there morning, noon, and night, and that’s probably where I built most of the relationships. I learned which doctors liked hunting or sports, and I’d invite them out or take their families to dinner,” Parks explained.This approach helped him understand his team on a personal level, establishing trust and camaraderie beyond professional titles. Through these relationships, Parks not only quickly became a part of the hospital’s social fabric, but also gained valuable insights into the staff’s needs and concerns.
Quick Wins with High Impact: From Mattresses to Morale
Parks’ first night in the hospital provided an unexpected but valuable opportunity for a quick win. As one of the doctors joked about the uncomfortable mattress in the sleep room, Parks quickly acted. The next day, he coordinated with the hospital’s engineering team to have new mattresses delivered. This small gesture had an outsized impact on morale, making Parks a “champ” in the eyes of his staff within two weeks.
Though replacing mattresses might seem trivial, it was emblematic of Parks’ broader leadership style: listening to concerns, taking swift action, and showing his team that their well-being mattered. As he explained, “It wasn’t just about mattresses. There were much bigger decisions than that, but small acts of responsiveness built the foundation for those larger changes.”
The Importance of Scalability and Sustainability
Like Parks’ approach of addressing immediate needs, the healthcare industry faces a broader challenge: how to scale and sustain innovative solutions. As noted in a recent discussion at the **HLTH 2024 conference**, scalability and sustainability are two critical barriers for healthcare innovation. A great idea or strategy must move beyond a small pilot project to prove itself across larger systems and populations.
Parks’ quick response to smaller issues, such as mattresses, mirrors the idea of starting with manageable initiatives before expanding to broader solutions. His ability to build trust at the grassroots level, coupled with his focus on understanding and improving workflows, is akin to the value-based care models discussed at HLTH. These models stress the importance of optimizing resources and addressing key pain points before scaling.
The Lasting Impact of Immersion
Parks’ tactic of sleeping in the hospital and immersing himself in the day-to-day lives of his staff is a clear example of an innovative approach that fosters early engagement and connection. His relationships with doctors and nurses were deeply rooted in mutual respect, trust, and shared experiences. Even 12 years later, after Parks and his wife left Lubbock, TX, they reflected on how much those early days had cemented his leadership role and contributed to the deep friendships they formed.
Parks’ leadership approach has been widely recognized throughout his career, with successful stints at multiple major healthcare systems, including Covenant Health in Lubbock. His ability to build trust and camaraderie through hands-on, immersive engagement has been a hallmark of his leadership style, helping to drive organizational success and strengthen team morale.
Part of a Larger Vision for Healthcare Leadership
This article marks the beginning of a series featuring insights from some of the most accomplished hospital and health system CEOs across the U.S. Each will share a unique and innovative tactic they’ve employed in their first 90 days, offering valuable strategies for new leaders to consider.
As Ivan Bartolome, CEO of HealthSearch Partners, puts it, “The first 90 days is not just about transitioning into a role—it’s about setting a powerful foundation that influences both immediate and long-term success.”
At HealthSearch Partners, we believe that innovative tactics like Parks’ can transform the first 90 days from an initial trial period into a strong foundation for long-term success. Parks’ approach serves as an inspiring example of how a leader’s personal investment in his or her team can create lasting positive impacts, not only in relationships but also in the overall culture of the organization.
If you are a healthcare executive who has implemented an innovative tactic during your first 90 days of employment in a new position, we’ like to talk to you and perhaps share your innovative idea with our nationwide network. Please contact Neill Marshall, neillm@healthsearchpartners.com, or Kurt Mosley, kurtm@healthsearchpartners.com.
Neill Marshall is Chairman of HealthSearch Partners and Kurt Mosley is Associations Practice Leader for HealthSearch Partners, a national healthcare executive search firm based in Dallas, TX. www.HealthSearchPartners.com.
