The Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City has undergone a leadership transition with Alejandro (Ale) Quiroga, MD, MBA, taking on the role of President and CEO. In his first year, Quiroga focused on connecting with employees across the hospital’s 16 locations and remote settings. He aimed to meet as many of the hospital’s 9,000 staff members as possible within his first 90 days.
Quiroga described his experience by saying, “It was amazing; one year felt like three to five CEO years. The process of transitioning to a new leader can be traumatic for an organization. Being intentional mattered. We made the commitment to meet everybody, and it gave me a three-dimensional view of our soul and culture — what we value, our challenges, and what makes us proud. That inward year shaped the progress that followed.”
Reflecting on his approach to leadership, Quiroga said, “Growing in my leadership, I’ve always struggled when people talk about servant leadership. Not because I don’t like the concept, but because it did not sound genuine.” He continued, “But leadership really is about serving people — the community and the people who care for them. Health care systems can be very corporate, but my job is to design systems that are sustainable and improve how we serve the community.”
Quiroga’s efforts have included sharing observations through internal blogs and LinkedIn posts that highlight personal stories from within the hospital.
More information about Quiroga’s first year as CEO can be found in the full article via the Children’s Hospital Association.
