In this episode of the Habitual Excellence Podcast, Ken Segel talks with Dr. Tracey Hoke of UVA Health about her journey from pediatric cardiologist to healthcare executive and her role in shaping UVA Health’s approach to continuous improvement. Dr. Hoke shares how her clinical, public health, and leadership experiences influenced her belief that healthcare organizations need systems that help people identify problems, learn from them, and continually improve.
Drawing on UVA Health’s evolution from project-based improvement to an enduring daily management system, Dr. Hoke discusses the importance of standard work, visual management, data, collaboration, and creating an environment where improvement becomes part of everyday work. She also reflects on UVA’s commitment to openly sharing what works so healthcare organizations can learn from one another.
Her advice to the next generation of healthcare leaders is simple and powerful: “Be fearless.” Know what matters to your teams and patients, use data to drive action, partner with others, communicate clearly, and be willing to test better ways of working.