Executive Takes: Saad Ehtisham
Perspectives and insights from a top healthcare leader.
Saad Ehitsham is the President and CEO of Atlantic Health
Time on the Job: One year
Prior Executive Roles in: Kansas, New Mexico, Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina
Relationship with Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry client and recent placement as CEO.
Ten Takes From Saad Ehitsham
How the ER Shaped His Leadership: “Well, I know what it takes to connect with patients and families, and what they’re looking for in a time of need. It also gives me much more depth and ability to connect with physicians and frontline clinicians—I know their pain points, what they’re thinking, and what the structural issues are. I can ask much more pointed questions, instead of, ‘Hey, how’s everything?’ Over the years, it has been a tremendous asset.”
Biggest Misunderstanding in Healthcare: “That we know the answers, and that what we did in the past will work—I don’t think that’s the case anymore. The way we’ve operated in the past is not a road to future success.”
In Ten Years... “I see Atlantic Health as nationally recognized among the best when it comes to outcomes. We have to adopt an innovator’s mindset, and become comfortable with taking risks, failing fast, and learning and adapting from failure. And we need to stop solving issues from our silos looking out, but rather put on the consumer lens—understanding how consumers want to interact with the health system. If we keep solving problems in the same ways, we’ll have the same results.”
Brain Space Currently Dominated By: “Unfreezing the organization’s original way of thinking, so we can begin thinking in a way that’s disruptive enough to innovate and perform better. It’s that cultural transformation that’s top of mind.”
Focus Strategy: “The policy changes coming down the pike are certainly front of mind, but I can’t let them distract me. I have to maintain the organization’s discipline and focus on the things we can control, which is culture and how we act.”
Differences in Healthcare in Kansas vs. Florida vs. New Mexico: “What differs is how people view healthcare, and how they engage with health systems. Healthcare is local and, in the South, such as in Tennessee, it is very much centered around faith; in Florida and New Mexico, not so much. You have to understand that, because it tells you how you’re going to engage with the community, and how you deliver healthcare in the fashion that the community wants it.”
Very Enthused About: “Agentic AI. With AI assistants working side-by-side with humans, we can really transform how we deliver care, and lower costs. Healthcare is the only industry where, when we deploy more technology, costs go up. Our goal is to invert that.”
What Keeps Him Up at Night: “Affordability is a big issue given the policy changes that are coming. Who are we leaving behind, and who will not have access to care? Healthcare leaders have to be accountable and solve for that.”
Career Advice That Could’ve Come Earlier: As a young person, outcomes and productivity mattered—that’s how you got promoted. Somewhere along the way, in the aughts, it changed to more of a relationship-based path to promotion. I could have accelerated my career much faster if I had known that. My suggestion is to build your coalitions and networks, because that is what matters.”
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