{"id":37760,"date":"2020-08-24T17:25:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-24T17:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=37760"},"modified":"2021-04-08T12:56:42","modified_gmt":"2021-04-08T19:56:42","slug":"the-doctor-will-see-you-now-the-rise-of-the-chief-medical-officer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/the-doctor-will-see-you-now-the-rise-of-the-chief-medical-officer\/","title":{"rendered":"The Doctor Will See You Now: The Rise of the Chief Medical Officer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The role of the health-focused C-suite leader has evolved to meet the rapidly changing business and healthcare needs. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a radiologist with over 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. Ashwini Zenooz interacts with patients and teams of physicians through countless cases of diagnosis and treatment. But when her mother underwent treatment for ovarian cancer, Dr. Zenooz found herself fruitlessly looking for answers and continually returning to one particularly troubling question, \u201cWhy does it all have to be so hard?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With experience working at some of the world\u2019s leading hospitals, Dr. Zenooz thought she was well-equipped to help her mother navigate the complexities of the healthcare system. But as a caregiver, Dr. Zenooz found a new perspective that revealed the endless frustration and churn of the patient experience. She had to work tirelessly as a self-described medical concierge to help her mother wind through the labyrinth of providers, specialists, pharmacies, insurance policies, and ultimately, end-of-life care considerations. It wasn\u2019t easy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI felt like I’d been at some of the best institutions for medical training and practice. I had access to some of the best specialists in the world. But when my mother was diagnosed, I felt one thing: helpless<\/em>,\u201d says Dr. Zenooz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I felt like I’d been at some of the best institutions for medical training and practice. I had access to some of the best specialists in the world. But when my mother was diagnosed, I felt one thing: helpless<\/em>.<\/p>Dr. Ashwini Zenooz, Chief Medical Officer, Salesforce<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Today, Dr. Zenooz draws heavily from that challenging caregiver experience to make a difference in her professional life. As the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Salesforce, Dr. Zenooz is a member of a new generation of corporate medical leaders with a seat in the C-suite. In that role, she prescribes a profound sense of empathy to patient-centered healthcare innovation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Already mainstream in healthcare, CMOs, also referred to as Chief Health Officers by some companies, are becoming more prevalent and powerful voices in the business world. Companies outside of healthcare and life sciences are still only beginning to introduce this newfound sense of health-driven leadership as a business imperative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CMO\u2019s Seat in the C-Suite<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Why does a doctor need to be in the C-suite of a tech company or any other business outside of the healthcare industry? Fact is, employee wellness is good for business, regardless of a company\u2019s core focus. On top of that, every company has an end user that can be evaluated through the health lens \u2014 from restaurant servers and truck drivers to accountants and architects. Whatever the role, health matters\u2014 especially as health and wellness is on every business\u2019 decision-makers mind as we attempt a return to work in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This balance between end user and employee health leads to differing roles and responsibilities within the CMO practice \u2014 often further varied depending on industry. Healthcare tends to lag behind its tech industry counterparts in digital transformation; most notably within the care experience and taking a customer-centered approach. For example, how many times have you been to different providers where you\u2019ve had to re-share your basic medical history?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHealthcare [innovation] is very much on the forefront for treatment \u2014 defining new robotics, medications and vaccines to prevent and cure diseases, but it\u2019s late to the game when it comes to improving the patient experience with technology,\u201d says Dr. Jose Quesada, Global Head of Healthcare at Salesforce and a former CMO of both Cigna and Bupa Global.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While tech, service, and retail companies enjoy the benefits of cloud-computing and the latest digital innovations, the tech lag within healthcare leads to several business implications, opening the door for waste and inefficiency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Zenooz says that, \u201cIf you look at waste, administrative inefficiencies and complexities occur at nearly every patient or member touchpoint on a care journey. The burden is felt on both sides of the patient-healthcare system interaction – it impacts experience and outcomes, and accounts for nearly one-third of all healthcare expenditures. There\u2019s a significant amount of money we contribute to the U.S. system that can be invested in other places, and it has a huge impact on the patient.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it\u2019s not just patients. As CMOs look to innovate within the healthcare industry, companies of all types also look to CMOs to answer questions related to employee health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTake any survey about what\u2019s bothering employees most from a health perspective. it\u2019s almost always stress and burnout. That\u2019s something health leaders need to address,\u201d says Dr. Quesada. With symptoms like stress in mind, the role of the CMO expands to look at the full spectrum of health issues that impact employees and their holistic well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take any survey about what\u2019s bothering employees most from a health perspective. it\u2019s almost always stress and burnout. That\u2019s something health leaders need to address.<\/p>Dr. Jose Quesada, Global Head of Healthcare at Salesforce<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

At Salesforce, the CMO plays a dual role \u2014 not only helping to innovate and develop industry-specific solutions, but also serving as a key health and wellness advisor for the company\u2019s workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt doesn’t matter what your company does, health matters,\u201d says Dr. David Agus, renowned physician and advisor to Salesforce. \u201cThere needs to be a person whose job it is to pull the various verticals within the company together for one central vision both internally and externally, and that is the chief health officer.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It doesn’t matter what your company does, health matters. There needs to be a person whose job it is to pull the various verticals within the company together for one central vision both internally and externally, and that is the chief health officer.<\/p>Dr. David Agus, Physician<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That means the CMO has a massive opportunity to not only drive revenue where it makes sense for the markets his or her company serves, but also lead internal culture and productivity with a health-first approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n