Physicians have always led in times of crisis, and we thank you for your inspiring leadership and selfless service as we fight COVID-19. Here we share the personal experiences and stories of our own healthcare heroes — Kelley Physician MBAs whose undaunted courage is changing healthcare today and for the future.
A Tribute to Physician Leadership in Times of Crisis
Watch physician stories from the frontlines.
Aditya Ahlawat, MD, MBA’20
Emergency Medicine Physician and Hospitalist | Chief of Medicine, Putnam County Hospital
Discover how Dr. Ahlawat uses lessons from a Physician MBA leadership course — including empathetic communication and innovative problem solving — to move his teams toward a collective goal during the COVID-19 healthcare crisis.
Jackie Holder, DO, MBA’20
Pediatrician | Medical Director, Union Medical Group
The COVID-19 pandemic touches every aspect of care delivery and the business of healthcare, and Dr. Holder is using her Kelley Physician MBA to make integral decisions. MBA courses on leadership, population health, process improvement and information technology have helped her make financial decisions and understand the economic impact COVID-19 could have on hospital systems across the country.
Matt Rutz, MD, MBA’20
Emergency Medicine Physician | Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine IU School of Medicine
As an emergency medicine physician during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Rutz is using tools gained in the Physician MBA — like financial analytics and operations management — to work with his team and get through. Above all, he’s learned to recognize the human factor. He’s able to lead with compassion and relieve anxiety among his team.
Read how MBA lessons help physician leaders make decisions during COVID-19.
Tyler Stepsis, MD, MBA’20
Emergency Medicine Physician | Service Chief of Emergency Medicine, Eskenazi Health
Scott Smith, MD, MBA’20
EMERGENCY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN | CEO AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR, ADAMS HEALTH NETWORK
Sara Jo Grethlein, MD, MBA’20
ONCOLOGIST, HEMATOLOGIST | MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR CANCER SERVICES, IU HEALTH’S ADULT ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER AND JOE & SHELLY SCHWARZ CANCER CENTER
Wael Azer, DO, MBA’18
Emergency Medicine Physician | ER Medical Director, HCA Healthcare
Dr. Azer says the Kelley Physician MBA prepared him to shine as a leader in times of crisis. “Operationally, we have to pivot and prepare for COVID-19. Our ER volume has dropped by almost half as the typical emergency cases have slowed and are replaced by COVID-19 patients who need critical care. Meanwhile, we have to plan ahead,” says Dr. Azer. “If we suddenly have 40% more patient volume, we must consider where x-ray will be located and where we will put patients. It’s a lot of preparation a leader must consider, and my Kelley operations courses have been helpful.” The COVID-19 crisis has brought added pressure from cancellation of elective and ancillary procedures that bring in revenue. “Our leadership styles truly make a difference during this crisis as we manage staff levels, help our teams feel cohesive and safe, show compassion and make our own sacrifices to ensure our teams are successful. All this ties back to leadership lessons gained at Kelley,” says Dr. Azer. “I have been connecting with my former classmates, and this network has provided a lot of insight into telemedicine — because I have classmates who are already using it. Their insight has helped me a lot in providing telemedicine in our ER.”
Vasu Voleti, MD, MBA’19
Emergency Medicine Physician | Regional Associate CMO
Prior to COVID-19, Dr. Voleti and her classmates completed a venture project that allowed physicians to consult with patients remotely through telehealth. She was implementing telehealth at her healthcare locations when the pandemic arrived, and now, telehealth has become critically important for treating patients and keeping staff safe. “We are using telehealth to manage both outpatient and inpatient care,” says Dr. Voleti. “COVID-19 screenings are conducted through virtual visits, and we can see our patients with comorbidities who are frightened to come to a clinic or hospital due to the increased risk of exposure.” Dr. Voleti is using operational and leadership lessons gained from the MBA as she makes surge plans for emergency rooms. “We’re using ventilators from operating rooms that have been left empty from the cancellation of elective surgeries. We’re also leveraging the geographic distribution of the pandemic to balance the workload by using providers from southern Indiana for virtual consults when communities farther north have a spike in cases. This is a similar scenario we considered during my MBA strategy class — that scenario has become reality,” says Dr. Voleti. “I’m thankful to Kelley for offering ongoing virtual lectures to support alumni. I’m using a lot of this insight right now. As a leader in COVID-19 planning, I can pivot very quickly and be efficient, and these discussions from Kelley have helped me a lot to achieve this.”