With Marshall’s exciting expansion in El Dorado Hills on track to open later this year, President and CEO Siri Nelson took a moment to tour the progress on the new facility and to speak candidly about what she feels sets Marshall apart from other local health care entities.
What distinguishes the care Marshall provides to its patients?
Our culture shapes the patient experience at Marshall. Our employees could work anywhere but they chose us because we value their input and prioritize their voice. Instead of a typical “top down” model, we work “from the bedside out,” empowering our caregivers to make informed decisions about what they need to provide optimal care for our patients in the moment.
People tend to correlate high-quality care with new equipment and fancy buildings, which are nice to have, but those things can be purchased. Yet without the freedom to think and lead differently at the front line, it is impossible to achieve better health outcomes for your patients. In the years following the pandemic, many of our counterparts cut deeply to protect their bottom line. But not Marshall. We have kept our eyes squarely on the future because cutting too deeply sacrifices creativity and innovation, which inevitably hurts patient care.
When I came to Marshall, I knew we could do things differently by being the place that shows others how to do it right. We can be — and we are today — an example for others to follow.
As Marshall expands and larger systems position themselves just across the county’s border, what makes Marshall different?
Local governance and decision making. We can identify, assess and address the needs of the community in a way that simply isn’t possible from a corporate office or a boardroom in another city or even state. The people that lead Marshall live in our community. Their priorities aren’t divided across a large geographic footprint; they are focused here, where our patients live and work.
That locally focused leadership approach is what allowed us to look at this community, see that a facility like this, with the programs we will house here, is needed in El Dorado Hills and bring it to reality.
As El Dorado County sees an influx of residents from other areas, what do you want them to know about Marshall?
We know that people move to El Dorado County often with their health care already in place through a larger network. We also know that patients can often feel powerless, unseen and unheard when it comes to their health care experience. Our goal is to change that by getting back to the fundamentals of the customer experience. Focusing on that will inevitably result in better care. I want people to know they have another option than what they’re used to.
Marshall is a nationally-accredited regional leader with six decades of experience caring for this community. Whether you are giving birth, seeking emergency care, receiving treatment for cancer or visiting your primary care provider, you can do it all conveniently, close to home and from people who prioritize your experience as a patient.
What do you say to those who view Marshall’s independence as a drawback or a negative?
I understand why some might feel that way, but I would say precisely the opposite is true. The term “community hospital” often implies that we are under-resourced and unable to be effective without additional support. It is assumed that we can’t provide the same level of care and service as are available in larger cities. Not true.
Being independent means that when a need is identified, we can address it in a timely manner rather than having to evaluate priorities and revenue across an entire system, multiple sites and even multiple states.
At Marshall, “community” means being deeply connected to those we serve. We hold ourselves to a high standard because our patients are our family, friends and neighbors. That is a sign of trust and we aim to meet those needs with every person, every time, delivering an elevated experience.
