Letter of Reference from Lance Sagawa
To Whom It May Concern:
Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC) is a public benefit corporation
in the State of Hawaii. It serves the “safety net” healthcare
mission of the State through the operation of thirteen hospitals statewide.
HHSC’s governance structure is comprised of five independent regions
based on geographic
location. Each region has a Regional Board with oversight responsibility
for the Regional Executive Leadership Team. The corporation also has a
central Corporate Board with similar oversight responsibilities for the
Corporate Executive Team. In November 2012, Dr. Thomas Royer was invited
to participate as a presenter in the HHSC Annual Meeting of the Boards.
Dr. Royer was well received as he presented the topics of governance models
and the role of effective leadership in creating a high performance culture.
Dr. Royer’s transformational role in the CHRISTUS Health System
was quite evident as he shared his insights regarding why hospital systems
must transform themselves into high performing organizations as we begin
a new era in pay-for-performance,
value based purchasing, and ACO development. Strengthening and aligning
governance and internal operations are critical success factors for hospital
systems going forward. Dr. Royer is clearly an accomplished healthcare
executive with full command of the competencies needed to be an effective
healthcare leader. His clinical experience as a physician provides further
credibility to his ability to engage clinical colleagues in difficult matters.
Dr. Royer continues to provide expert consultation as HHSC contemplates
how best to position itself for the industry challenges ahead. Dr. Royer’s
style of being “professionally” direct in a non-intimidating
manner has been especially appreciated as HHSC evaluates the benefits
of public private partnerships and at the same time considers ways to
improve itself. Dr. Royer provides direct consultation to various board
level task forces on governance/operational and partnership strategies.
Dr. Royer continues to exhibit an effective style of “blunt truth”
in a soft tactful manner. Although challenging, he has been effective
in communicating key concepts to task force members with varying backgrounds.
His acute understanding of board dynamics allows him to identify key issues quickly.
Without hesitation, I highly recommend Dr. Thomas Royer as an expert consultant
in healthcare governance and operations.
Respectfully submitted,
Lance K. Segawa, FACHE
Executive Director of Operations & Planning