Healthcare’s dynamic landscape requires effective leadership in order to succeed. It’s a delicate balance of visionary thinking, ethical decision-making, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Among the leaders embodying these principles is Michael C. Boblitz, the Chief Executive Officer of Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic (TOC).
Michael’s journey in healthcare leadership is attributed to his diverse and valuable professional experiences. Starting as a Financial Analyst with the University of Virginia Physicians Group, his career has traversed the domains of healthcare strategy and business development. Having collaborated with esteemed organizations such as UVA, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Lancaster General Health, and Gwinnett Health System, Michael now leads TOC. TOC provides an extensive array of orthopedic care services, encompassing surgical joint replacements, post-operative care, and inpatient rehabilitation services within the arena of private orthopedic practice.
With over two decades of extensive healthcare leadership, Michael is dedicated to transforming organizations into becoming ‘strategy-focused.’ His passion lies in navigating the intricacies of the healthcare industry, where he instills a disciplined and strategic business planning process. This approach empowers leaders within the organization to not only become the very best but also ensures optimal growth for the entire organization.
Our recent interview with Michael sheds light on the strategies, challenges and successes that have shaped his remarkable career.
Can you share a bit about your professional journey and what inspired you to dedicate your career to healthcare leadership?
My family has a long tradition in healthcare dating back to my Great, Great Uncle Dr. George Washington Crile, who founded the Cleveland Clinic. I always knew I would work in healthcare and just not sure where exactly until my college days. My Father serves as the Chief Administrative Officer with the University of Virgnia Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, holding the position for the past 47 years so I grew up in an Orthopaedic family. In fact, my Dad is the first and only Administrator in the history of UVA Orthopaedics. After a brief period where I was considering a path in Sports Medicine, I choose to change my major at James Madison University from Health Sciences Sports Medicine to Health Sciences Health Administration and never looked back.
My love to lead extends outside of my work. Early in my career I found the desire to teach and give back. I first designed a capstone course in healthcare strategy at James Madison University’s Health Administration program where I instructed the course for nine years. More recently, I designed and now instruct the first ever course in Healthcare Management at the Florida State University College of Business. My goal has always been to bring a real-world perspective into the classroom to augment traditional lecture with application that places the students in the best possible position for success in their careers.
Could you provide an overview of Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic’s mission and vision?
The market forces continue to pivot as the cost of healthcare has become unsustainable. In response, our new Mission at Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic (‘TOC’) is “Improving Patients’ Lives Through the Delivery of the Very Best Orthopedic Care with the Aim on Prevention, Preservation and Wellness.” This Mission was adopted as part of our new Strategic Plan called Vision 2030 as we are making it our social responsibility to play an active role in reducing the overall cost of care. Our Vision is “To be the Trusted Partner in Orthopedics among all Purchasers (patients, employers, payers, academic settings and sports industries) by becoming a leading Value-Based Organization that embraces cost reduction, quality and clinical excellence.” This Vision is key as we realize the need to closely align with Employers and Payers to improve cost of care together, while continually improving quality. Just as important, our Values that we refer to as ‘POWER’:
- Passion
- Ownership
- We (not I)
- Excellence
- Recognition
How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within your team?
Each year the TOC Board conducts a retreat over two days. The first key component of the annual retreat is where I present an expansive assessment on the overall marketplace for Orthopedics, both nationally and locally. The presentation concludes with how TOC will adapt to and overcome the changing market forces through a focused strategy that leads into our Annual Plan. In addition, we always take time to review the prior year’s Annual Plan and discuss if any goals were missed and if so why. This step also helps inform our Board on changes in Market Forces and how that should impact our strategy going forward. We also continually assess our leadership structure to determine if talent is lacking or if we have sufficient bandwidth in each area of the Practice to continue to achieve success.
What do you believe sets you apart as a healthcare leader in today’s dynamic industry?
The traditional leadership model in healthcare for CEOs is someone with a strong background in operations. This expertise is critical as healthcare organizations must constantly find ways to further improve operating efficiencies to address ongoing reimbursement challenges and rising inflation. My background in Strategy and Growth brings a fresh perspective to look more broadly across organizations and determine how the overall strategy and business model must change to remain competitive and financially viable. Immediately upon entering new leadership roles I implement a strategy-focused culture that includes an updated Strategic Plan followed by an Annual Plan that replaces traditional “department” silos with “cross-functional” teams. This approach ensures that each aspect of the organization, and each aspect of the strategy have the brightest minds within the organization working together. The aim—avoiding the traditional research stating that strategies and business plans often fail—as our goals and plans are achieved.
What advice would you offer to our readers aspiring to take leadership roles in healthcare?
In my career, I spent time achieving an executive-level competency by working across a wide range of services and organizations within the industry. Further, I spent a lot of time learning the importance of strategic partnerships that include leading smaller organizations to join larger organizations, leading larger organizations to extend their strengths to smaller organizations, to various joint venture arrangements that help organizations augment a gap in expertise, such as urgent care, renal dialysis, freestanding imaging centers, and ambulatory surgical centers. Any aspiring leader in healthcare must take the time to gain similar cross-industry experiences.
The key is to not only be great at your job but spend just as much time approaching other leaders within the organization to learn and obtain a broader competency of how the organization (and industry) works.
Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations for both yourself and Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic in the coming years?
A key goal for TOC is to continue to outrun the Medicare cuts and rising inflation through our continued 10-15% annual growth realized through the successful implementation of our Strategic Plan – Vision 2030.
A key personal goal is to continue to strengthen our culture and leadership to ensure our Leaders always have the necessary POWER to lead our organization forward in the ever-changing healthcare industry.
Another personal goal is to continue to teach others in the classroom and help prepare them for successful careers.
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