Page 30 - SFHN817pages36p.qxp_SFHN 0608 Friday 5.0

Cover Story: Boca Raton Regional Hospital CEO Announces Retirement

Continued from page 1 “When you have those times of chal- miss about being at Boca. The first is a ment some thought. He admits that he
residency programs. lenge, as we did in 2012, it can cause you hospital’s ability to help people. When can't go from the very intense job he has
He earned his Bachelors of Science in to reevaluate where you're going and he first entered healthcare, as a general now to not doing anything. He definitely
Mathematics and Master of Business whether or not you have the real com- counsel for West Penn Hospital in plans to live in Boca Raton.
Administration degrees with honors mitment to the vision you have,” he Pittsburgh, PA, someone told Fedele that “As I've joked to a few people recently,
from the University of Pittsburgh and adds. “2012 was a real challenging time he will love being there because he will for the last 10 years, this hospital has
Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne as we took that first step back.” leave work every day being so proud and been my employer. For the next 10 years
University School of Law, Pittsburgh, PA, Fedele credits his leadership team in fulfilled that you helped people. Fedele and beyond, it's going to be my medical
where he was class valedictorian. navigating that rough period. One of the thought it was an odd comment at the provider,” he says with a laugh.
Fedele reflects over the time he has advantages that Fedele has as a leader is time since he came from the industrial While he plans to do something a little
been with Boca as having two significant his ability to keep looking ahead to see world prior to joining West Penn. less intense, Fedele doesn't anticipate he
accomplishments from a macro perspec- the big picture of where both the hospi- “As a lawyer coming from a commer- will have any trouble filling the time. As
tive. The first was in 2008 when the hos- tal and the industry is headed. Once he cial industrial setting into healthcare, his a lawyer by background who still has his
pital was losing money. has that vision for the future, he tries to comment about helping people really law license, he says that he may do some
“I'm proud of saving the hospital. bring together an extraordinarily talent- didn't resonate with me at first,” he says. legal work and perhaps some healthcare
From 2008 to 2010, we went from losing ed team to steer it in the right direction. About six months into his first health- consulting. As for fun, he has a number
$120 million to breaking even,” he says. “I’ve surrounded myself with a talent- care position as a general counsel is of hobbies he plans to continue to pur-
“We saved the hospital from going out of ed group of people,” he says. “I remem- when he started to realize that hospitals sue such as photography, biking, and
business or being sold. That was a big ber looking around the room one day in do something special that most other traveling.
accomplishment.” 2012 and telling them that we've made organizations in any other industry in “My family is also growing,” he says.
But the period since then is what so much progress and we're just going to the country don't have the opportunity “I have three young adult children who
Fedele is most proud about. Once the get over this hurdle as well. Everybody to do. are starting to have families of their own.
hospital had been able to break even, it pulled together and we got over that and “That's to help people in some of the In fact, my first grandchild just turned
redefined its vision and elevated its have been on just a real roll since then.” most difficult times of their lives,” says one recently so I plan to spend more
prominence in the community. The biggest thing that surprised Fedele. “No matter what position you time with family.”
“We've gone from not just saving a Fedele during the past nine years at the hold in the hospital, whether you're a As he reflects one last time on his
hospital but from taking what was a hospital was the extraordinary commit- receptionist, a lawyer or environmental tenure with Boca, Fedele is amazed at
community hospital and turning it into ment of the community to the hospital. services, or certainly a nurse or a doctor, how quickly the past nine years have
one of the premier regional academic “I've been in healthcare for 30 years you have that unique privilege to really flown by.
referral centers in South Florida,” says and had a 10-year career before health- impact people. Throughout my 30 years “I will have been here for essentially
Fedele. “That's even more exciting care,” he says. “I have never in my 40 in healthcare, I've gone home every day one-fifth of the organization's exis-
because it's a path of fulfilling a vision years of professional experience seen a feeling good about what I do. I'm going tence—one decade out of five,” he says.
and growth that is both fun to be a part community that had such a feeling of to miss that feeling. That's something “There's no question I'm leaving it in a
of and serves our community even bet- ownership and commitment to a hospi- that becomes part of what I've done for better position than I found it. More
ter.” tal as the Boca Raton community does the last three decades.” importantly than saving the hospital,
For Fedele, the most challenging time for Boca Raton Regional Hospital. We The other thing that he'll miss most is we've redefined the vision for this hospi-
at Boca was not at the beginning but in have philanthropy that is clearly the pin- the team of people he works with who tal to be the preeminent hospital in
2012 when they suffered a setback after nacle of any standalone community hos- he calls extremely talented and commit- South Florida. We've come a long way to
being on an upward trajectory for several pital in the United States. People just ted. realize that vision. There’s more work to
years. After the first two years, the path have a real passion for supporting this “I'm just going to miss the daily inter- be done, but I think it's on a great trajec-
to success was clear, but invariably, hospital.” action with 2,500 employees who are all tory.”
everything doesn't go as smoothly as you As he nears his retirement, Fedele says here for the same reasons,” he says.
want it to go, he notes. that there are two things that he will Fedele has given his impending retire- For more information, visit
www.brrh.com.

DATEBOOK October 21
DATEBOOK
Ronald McDonald Gala Celebration
The Ronald McDonald House Charities 35th Anniversary Gala Celebration will
be held Saturday, October 21 at the Donna E. Shalala Student Center Grand
August 9-11 Ballroom, 1330 Miller Dr. Coral Gables. To purchase tickets, visit the website at
UAB National Symposium for Healthcare Executives www.rmhcsouthflorida.org/gala or call (786) 476-2176.
The UAB National Symposium for Healthcare Executives will be held August
9-11 at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Resort. Earn 12+ ACHE face-to-face credits. October 27-28
Visit uab.edu/nshe for more information. Echocardiography Symposium
Baptist Health South Florida presents the 36th Annual Echocardiography
September 14 Symposium October 27-28 at the Hilton, Miami Airport. For more information,
SFHEF Education Event visit http://MiamiEcho.BaptistHealth.net or contact JulieZ@BaptistHealth.net.
South Florida Healthcare Executive Forum, Inc. presents Diversity and
Inclusion in Healthcare on Thursday, August 17 from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. at FAU – November 2
Davie Campus, 3200 College Ave. Register at www.sfhef.org. SFHHA 25th Annual Golf Tournament
This annual golf tournament will benefit the South Florida Hospital Research
August 24 and Education Foundation. For more information, call (954) 964-1660 or visit
NAHSE Educational Event the website www.sfhha.com.
The National Association of Health Services Executives and SF Medical Group
Management Association presents “Leadership and Career Development in November 5-8
Healthcare” on Thursday, August 24 from 5:30 – 8 p.m. at American Medical Emergency Radiology Symposium
Depot, 10315 USA Today Way, Miramar. For more information, contact Grant Baptist Health South Florida presents the 17th Annual Emergency Radiology
McGaugh at (305) 562-1825 or Grant.mcgaugh@zones.com. Symposium November 5-8, at the Ritz Carlton South Beach, Miami Beach. For
more information, visithttp://EmRadMiami.BaptistHealth.net or contact
October 11 JulieZ@BaptistHealth.net.
Broad and Cassel Health Forum
Broad and Cassel LLP and The Advisory Board Company are hosting the December 1-2
Seventh Annual Health Forum on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 at the Signature Miami Neuro Symposium and Miami Brain Symposium
Grand in Davie, FL. Registration will begin at 11:30 a.m. followed by presenta- Baptist Health South Florida presents the 6th Annual Miami Neuro Symposium
tions and discussions with some of the industry's top professionals knowledge- and the Inaugural Miami Brain Symposium December 1-2 at the Biltmore Hotel,
able about today's rapidly changing health care landscape. For more information, Coral Gables. For more information, visit http://MiamiNeuro.BaptistHealth.net
contact Elizabeth Levine at elevine@broadandcassel.com or (407) 839-4229. or contact JulieZ@BaptistHealth.net.

30 August 2017 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News