Analysis  |  By Jasmyne Ray   |    September 08, 2022

In August, Baptist Health System appointed Vicki Gulczewski, RN, MSN, as chief executive officer of St. Luke's Baptist Hospital, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. The hospital is operated by Baptist Health System, which is a part of Tenet Healthcare Corporation. Having previously served as the hospital's COO since 2015, Matt Stone, group CEO of Baptist Health System, said Gulczewski was an obvious choice for the role due to her clinical knowledge and operational skills. "Vicki not only connects with patients in San Antonio," he said in a statement. "She is well respected by our physicians and staff. She brings a unique a valuable perspective that helped steer St. Luke's forward throughout the Covid pandemic and to our current successes."

In August, Baptist Health System appointed Vicki Gulczewski, RN, MSN, as chief executive officer of St. Luke's Baptist Hospital, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. The hospital is operated by Baptist Health System, which is a part of Tenet Healthcare Corporation.

Having previously served as the hospital's COO since 2015, Matt Stone, group CEO of Baptist Health System, said Gulczewski was an obvious choice for the role due to her clinical knowledge and operational skills.

"Vicki not only connects with patients in San Antonio," he said in a statement. "She is well respected by our physicians and staff. She brings a unique a valuable perspective that helped steer St. Luke's forward throughout the Covid pandemic and to our current successes."

Now a month into her new role, HealthLeaders recently spoke with Gulczewski about her 30-year career with the health system and being a leader in the post-Covid landscape.

This transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity:

HealthLeaders: Did you always want to work in healthcare leadership?

Vicki Gulczewski: I have always wanted to work in healthcare. Growing up I was not familiar with all the different aspects of what working in healthcare entailed, so I went to school and became a nurse. During my career at the bedside I was encouraged to take on several different leadership roles by both physicians and nursing leaders. I have been fortunate to work for a system that supports professional growth and gives people opportunities to learn and grow within the organization.  In leadership I really found my true passion; I wanted to make a difference that impacted not only the patients we care for but for the organization overall.

HealthLeaders: How would you describe your leadership style?

Gulczewski: I describe my leadership style as collaborative, thoughtful, and decisive. I make a point to get to know the people and the area involved. I believe you always need to be willing to change, be innovative, and to challenge ourselves to do better.

HL: What are some of your preliminary goals as you begin the CEO role?

Gulczewski: As I start this journey as CEO, I hope to continue to build upon the great reputation that St. Luke's Baptist has already established in the community. As we continue to emerge from the pandemic, recruiting and stabilizing staffing is of utmost importance to support our continued service line growth and to meet community needs.

HL: The pandemic stretched the healthcare industry to its limit. As it bolsters itself back up, what should organizations keep in mind to ensure their strength and efficiency?

Gulczewski: To ensure our strength moving forward, I believe that we will need to continue to become more flexible and to think how we can do things differently with less. Staffing and supply chain are at a premium. Creating a culture that is open to change enables us to introduce new and more efficient staffing models, whether it be in nursing units or in the OR with anesthesiologists and CRNA’s, while continuing to be fluid with new and replacement products as others are difficult to obtain or are no longer available.

HL: While progress has and continues to be made to bridge the gender gap, as a woman in healthcare leadership, what would you like to see in the future as the gap gets smaller?

Gulczewski:  I would like to continue to see more women across all executive level roles in healthcare. Healthcare is predominately female, however the majority of women are in clinical roles. We need to create an environment where women are given opportunities to build relationships outside of the clinical areas in order to cross the line between clinical and executive leadership.

I believe this starts at a young age. Girls need to be exposed to any and all opportunities that boys are exposed to. We need to teach our girls to be strong, independent women that bring just as much value to the table. I am proud to have been selected for this role and have received overwhelming support along my journey. I hope to be an inspiration to other women and provide the encouragement needed to do achieve anything their hearts desire.

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