Leading through Listening: A Conversation with Garrett South
Release Date: 11/04/2024
Front & Center: Disability Rights, Community Care, and the Future of the Olmstead Decision
To Care is Human
What could a recent U.S. Department of Justice memo mean for people with disabilities and the future of community-based care? In this inaugural episode of Front & Center, we examine the ongoing debate surrounding the landmark Olmstead v. L.C. decision and explore its potential impact on individuals, families, and healthcare systems. Featuring perspectives from a family advocate, a public policy leader, and national reporting, this conversation provides context, examines the issues from multiple viewpoints, and highlights why this topic matters to patients, families, and...
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The Strategic Value of Healthcare Volunteers
To Care is Human
What if your volunteers stopped showing up? Houston Goodwin, CEO of Better Impact, joins Stacy Palmer to discuss how healthcare organizations can better leverage volunteer programs to improve patient experience, support staff, and make the case for greater investment. Learn how volunteer leaders can measure the impact of their programs, tell their story with data, and position volunteerism as a strategic arm of healthcare.
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What Matters Most: Advancing Human-Centered Care Through a Simple Question
To Care is Human
In this episode, host Kiia Lappalainen sits down with Claire Snyman and Angela DeVanney of What Matters to You World to explore how one simple question—"What matters to you?"—can transform healthcare experiences. Drawing on both professional and personal perspectives, they share powerful stories illustrating how understanding what matters most to patients leads to more personalized care, stronger relationships, and better outcomes. They also offer practical advice for organizations looking to embed this human-centered approach into everyday practice, demonstrating that meaningful change...
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Turning Teen Volunteers into Healthcare Leaders
To Care is Human
What happens when hospitals stop treating teen volunteers as helpers and start empowering them as leaders? In this episode, Terri Ipsen sits down with Tracy Herrington and Tammy Rivera of CommonSpirit Health to explore an innovative teen volunteer program that develops leadership skills, builds confidence, and introduces young people to meaningful healthcare careers. Discover how giving teens responsibility today is helping shape the healthcare workforce of tomorrow.
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From Personal Loss to Global Change: Vita Steina's Mission to Advance Human Experience in Healthcare
To Care is Human
Jason Wolf sits down with Vita Steina, one of the leading voices advancing human experience in healthcare across Europe. In this inspiring conversation, Vita shares how the loss of her young son to cancer transformed her life and sparked a mission to improve healthcare for patients, families, and caregivers. From pioneering patient experience efforts in Latvia to advocating for human experience as a cornerstone of healthcare quality and policy, Vita discusses the power of purpose, the importance of supporting the workforce, and her vision for creating lasting change across healthcare systems....
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What Matters Most: A Conversation with Maureen Bisognano
To Care is Human
In this special What Matters to You episode of To Care Is Human: Leading the Conversation, Jason Wolf sits down with healthcare pioneer Maureen Bisognano to explore the question that sparked a global movement: “What matters to you?” Drawing on personal stories as a nurse advocating for critically ill patients to the moments that shaped her lifelong commitment to person-centered care, she shares powerful examples of how listening deeply can change lives. Listeners will leave inspired by practical ways to bring the What Matters to You philosophy into everyday interactions with patients,...
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Planting a Seed in Hostile Soil: Reclaiming Humanity in Healthcare
To Care is Human
In this episode of To Care is Human, Victor Montori, M.D., joins Jason Wolf for a thought-provoking conversation on the humanity of healthcare. Together, they explore how healthcare has become increasingly industrialized, why human connection and curiosity matter in care, and what it will take to create a future grounded in “careful and kind care for all.”
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From Patient to Nurse Leader: How a Childhood Hospital Stay Shaped a Career
To Care is Human
In this episode, Jason Wolf sits down with Jerry Mansfield, Vice President and System Chief Nursing Officer at University of Texas Medical, who reflects on how a recent bedside interaction brought him back to his childhood experiences as a patient. Through this powerful connection, he highlights how clear communication, reassurance, and presence can ease uncertainty and build trust. His story is a meaningful reminder that even the smallest moments in care can shape lifelong perceptions and lasting impact.
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"Leap, and a Net Will Appear": Leading Teams into the Unknown
To Care is Human
In this episode, Jason Wolf sits down with Laura Wood, Executive Vice President of Patient Care Operations and System Chief Nurse Executive at Boston Children’s Hospital. As a nurse leader, Dr. Wood shares what it takes to lead the nursing operations of one of the world's top-ranked pediatric hospitals while keeping the human experience at the center of care. Whether you are a bedside nurse, a healthcare executive, or a patient advocate, this conversation offers a masterclass in leading with optimism and gratitude.
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The Art of the Warm Welcome: Measuring What Matters in Healthcare Experience
To Care is Human
Evan Steele, Founder and CEO of rater8, reinforces how first impressions shape the human experience in healthcare. From a frustrating hotel check-in in Prague to building a platform that helps healthcare organizations listen, learn, and improve in real time, Evan shares the origin story behind rater8 and the philosophy of the “art of the warm welcome.” This conversation is a practical and inspiring look at how measuring, improving, and celebrating experience can drive more consistent, compassionate care across organizations.
info_outlineJoin us as Garrett South, Director of Patient Experience at California Hospital Medical Center, shares his inspiring journey from fifth-grade class representative to healthcare executive. In this episode, Garrett discusses the power of connection and belonging in a world reshaped by post-pandemic social isolation.