HPIC’s Chief Executive Officer, Rick Farlow, sits down with Tim Moore, Chief Executive Officer, at Mississippi Hospital Association to continue our “CEO Conversations” series on leadership.

Mr. Farlow wanted to address how MHA advocates for sound healthcare policy on behalf of its member hospitals and the patients they serve while discussing the leadership lessons Mr. Moore has learned through his illustrious career.

Have the events over the past two years changed your perception of what it means to be a healthcare association leader of over 100 hospitals in The State of Mississippi?  

Yes, it has been amazing to witness how the bar was raised for our healthcare workers. They were forced to learn how to use every resource they could find to survive and operate.  As I visited with hospitals across the State of Mississippi, I was in awe of their strength and heroic efforts to serve their patients and communities. My respect for our hospitals, their leaders, and their staff validated my belief in our need to advocate for & protect them so they can serve their patients.

What are the biggest leadership lessons you’ve learned through your hospital leadership career and now leading the Mississippi Hospital Association?

There will always be change. To be successful, you must learn how to find solutions and to be flexible. The answer may not always be Plan A.  It could be Plan B or Plan C. Having an open mind to be flexible and adapt has been critical to our success. Thus, I would say that I have learned the importance of having trusting relationships, and then being flexible to find the right solution for whatever problem you are facing. 

In representing hospitals at the state level, what are some of the “key learnings” you have garnered in terms of leadership when dealing with the Mississippi Legislature?

You will deal with Democrats and Republicans. You must always tell the truth and understand that someone is coming behind you and misrepresenting the facts about a topic.

Again, developing trusting relationships on both sides of the house is vital for success on behalf of the Hospital Association when dealing with our legislators.  We have an awesome responsibility in serving our members, so I have learned that providing accurate information to legislators in a trusted environment affords me the best opportunity to have the most optimal outcome for our hospitals.

The Mississippi Hospital Association has been a synergic partner to HPIC since our inception, and we are appreciative of the time that Mr. Moore spent with us discussing leadership,  and our mutual support for Mississippi hospitals and health systems so they can stay committed to improving the health of their communities.