Carrie Harris-Muller is the SVP and Chief Population Health Officer for OhioHealth in Columbus, Ohio. OhioHealth is a 16 hospital and health system with over $5 billion in annual revenue. As part of the C-suite leadership team, she oversees the clinically integrated network made up of employed and independent providers, managed care, the employer services division, the post-acute care division, enterprise-wide care management and The OhioHealthy Medical Health Plan. Prior to joining OhioHealth, she was a corporate executive with Molina Health Care in Long Beach California where she was responsible for their provider-owned assets and health plans. She has also held executive leadership positions with Tenet Healthcare Corporation, Vanguard Health and the Detroit Medical Center.

How did you become an executive in the healthcare industry? Did you always have an interest in health care?

I always knew I wanted to be in healthcare, but I landed where I am today in more of a trial-and-error way. My parents really wanted me to be a nurse and were going to pay for nursing school, but I knew that wasn’t going to be the right fit for me, and I probably don’t have the bedside manner for it either! But I’ve always had a mind for business, so things came into focus when I started to learn about clinical integration. Over time, my desire to be in healthcare and my business mindset naturally merged into roles focused on driving closer collaboration between the clinical and business sides of healthcare.

I credit my opportunity to lead at an executive level to a promise I made to myself early in my career. I decided I would always take opportunities to learn more about the industry and volunteer for stretch projects. I always raised my hand to help with new projects even if I had no idea what it was all about. I was up for any opportunity to experience all components of a healthcare delivery system so I could build a well-rounded understanding of how it all works, and how to improve it.

How has your extensive experience in both the payer and provider spaces benefitted you in your current role and the launch of OhioHealth’s newly formed health plan?

I think it all comes down to a true sense of empathy for what individuals in both spaces are seeking to accomplish. I have a managed care background, so I have a deep understanding of health plans; what works and where opportunities exist. I also have a first-hand appreciation for the everyday challenges providers face navigating patients through systems of care.

It is possible to get everyone in the same boat – physicians, employers, patients and hospitals – and get them all rowing in the same direction. When they all come together with the patient in mind it becomes a smooth ride, and it simplifies healthcare and the patient experience.

What can our industry do to better serve patients living in rural communities and help address inequities?

We need to leverage the momentum created by the pandemic to prioritize mission-driven collaboration. During this time of crisis, our industry had to rethink traditional ways of care delivery, bringing new stakeholders to the table to best serve communities. The capabilities that were built in 2020 and 2021 were quickly designed to meet customer needs where they are and in the many diverse ways they want to access and experience healthcare. We also must challenge ourselves to rethink how we have historically leveraged assets with a lens of addressing social determinants of health in order to deliver the right care, in the right place for the right populations.

What is one professional goal you hope to accomplish in 2022?

Without a doubt, my number one focus for the year is helping my teams get to the other side of the of the pandemic. I’m spending more one-on-one time with each of my leaders, encouraging them to be honest about how they are feeling. I’m also doing the same with the next level of leaders through “skip meetings,” and rounding with teams on the front lines of care and customer service. These connections are really important to me so I can let my teams know I really care about each and every one of them.

Personally or professionally, what might the WBL network be surprised to know about you?

I love to cook, and I’ve committed to using locally sourced ingredients. Eggs, honey, vegetables, chicken – whatever it is, I’ll go out of my way to buy locally. I love going to farmers markets and talking with the farmers about their food. They take such pride what they grow, and I learn something new every time.