October 14, 2025 • 14 mins
In this episode, Iliana A. Mora, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Sinai Chicago, joins the podcast to discuss how she balances compassionate leadership with the operational demands of running a major urban health system. She shares insights on workforce engagement, navigating reimbursement challenges, and staying centered amid constant change in healthcare.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
At athenahealth,
we know your ambulatory practice wants healthier,
a healthier business, healthier care teams, and healthier
patients.
But the complexities of modern health care tech
make it hard for you and your care
teams to focus on what matters most.
That's where athenahealth can help.
Our AI native all in one solutions reduce
administrative burdens,
(00:23):
streamline billing and payments, and deliver critical insights
when clinicians need it most.
That means fewer clicks, more time for patients,
and stronger bottom lines. Practicing medicine is complex,
but running a practice can be that much
simpler with athenahealth.
See how simpler is healthier@athenahealth.com.
(00:43):
Hi, everyone. Welcome to the Becker's Healthcare Podcast.
I'm Scott King, thrilled today to be joined
by Ileana Mora, executive vice president and chief
operating officer at Sinai Chicago. Ileana, how are
you doing today? Thanks so much for joining
us. I'm doing great. Thank you for having
me.
Of course. So I I think we're in
some really big important topics in health care
(01:04):
and and in leadership with you being a
a COO. But before we get started, I
just wonder if you could tell us a
little bit about your background, please. Yes. I
am currently at the Sinai Health System. I'm
the executive vice president and system chief operating
officer over
our two acute care hospitals, a rehab hospital,
and as well as a medical group and
(01:25):
a PHO.
I have prior to that,
I was also in the acute care space.
And then prior to that, my beginnings were
though in the ambulatory space. So I have
both a varied background in both, the outpatient
area and inpatient as well.
Appreciate you sharing all that that background information.
And, you know, it sounds like
(01:47):
as is the case with most c most
COOs and and working with health systems in
health care, you wear a lot of hats.
Right? So just curious of all the things
you do, all the different things you you
manage and oversee. What do you feel is
your biggest responsibility as the COO of your
system?
Biggest responsibility
is the people. The people part of the
(02:07):
business, which is essentially everything we do. Right?
It is the our service is delivered through
people as well as,
our patients are, you know, those that we
are healing.
And so, the biggest part of my responsibility
I see as making sure that our caregivers
are feel cared for, that we are offering
(02:29):
them compassion,
that we are offering them a place of
healing for themselves,
a family of colleagues
where they can do their best work. And
that means also
ensuring that they have what they need to
do their job best
to deliver
the highest quality of care
compassionately
(02:49):
and
empathically
to be able to service our patients, as
well as the greater community.
What are some things that Sinai Chicago that
you think kind of earn that trust,
from your staff and and help with team
building?
So I think some of the things in
terms of earning our trust is
just foundationally in terms of our values.
(03:12):
We really trust and dignity
and making sure that we're transparent in our
communication and
in these difficult times that we are right
now
in healthcare
and in hospital administration
and, you know, physician services, just
always being open and honest about where the
organization
(03:32):
is
and where we fit into the larger picture
of, you know, the health care space. So
I think building trust with our employees by
being transparent in our communications
is first and foremost.
The second is making sure that our leaders
are
really exhibiting the values and living out the
(03:52):
values and exhibiting the behaviors that are part
of our mission, vision, and values,
and that we are, you know, leading with
compassion, but
also
operational rigor and teaching
our staff and our teams and coaching them
in both of those areas.
And so focus on, like I said, mission,
(04:13):
vision, and values, living those out, a focus
on our leaders and empowering our leaders and
equipping our leaders so that they can lead
the others.
And, ultimately,
also empowering our leaders to
know how to build those teams
and how how do you build trust,
how do you get to know your employees
(04:35):
in a way that they feel cared for.
So those are the some of the things
that
in terms of
our culture that we practice.
With everything that Sinai Chicago
accomplished last year, which accomplishment do you see
as the best one or the one you're
most proud of?
Let's see.
We have there's so much to be proud
(04:57):
of.
And I would say
we have experienced a lot of growth
as an organization
and ensuring that we're servicing the community.
And that has
required kind of all parts of the organization
to be
working towards that. So, of course, everything from
(05:18):
the patient access area
to
the operational leaders to, of course, the the
clinicians delivering the care,
but also
environmental services
and security
and food and service and making sure that
that growth that we've experienced
is still a really great experience for the
(05:40):
patient and improvement
in our scores. So
for example,
we have Pres Gainey and our patient engagement
scores
have improved and even just our Google reviews
have,
improved as well, create quite dramatically,
despite the growth that we've seen. And so
we've been able to balance both growth
(06:02):
as well as a service that our patients
appreciate
and recommend.
Yeah. That's interesting, you know, because every health
system
obviously wants growth. But once you you see
that growth,
you have a lot more work to do,
don't you? There's there's still a lot to
be done.
Yes. For sure.
What are the big organizational goals
(06:24):
you set for 2025 with Sinai Chicago, and
how are you tracking
with those goals now?
Yes. So we certainly have continued
financial results to achieve.
We have results,
related to quality,
and safety,
as well as
(06:44):
overall
a patient engagement provider,
patient engagement, provider engagement, then of course, caregiver
engagement.
So we have goals in each one of
those areas, and we track them
monthly.
In some cases for some of the metrics,
as it relates to financial metrics and volumes,
we track daily
and we work together and come together.
(07:07):
Can be ad hoc impromptu when we see
certain numbers go certain ways.
But, otherwise we do meet,
for some rec metrics depending on what they
are,
biweekly,
every two weeks and others monthly.
So it depends on which area that,
we are monitoring on which basis, but,
(07:29):
we certainly meet and our meetings are really
focused on resolution
and
looking forward,
rather than reporting out data.
And so they are more focused on, okay,
let's celebrate some those wins, and then let's
talk about the areas that we haven't quite
seen the improvement we're looking for and how
do we work together as a team to
(07:50):
resolve them.
Yeah. We we've talked about progress and and
like you said, kinda keeping track of those
wins. But what headwinds or challenges
do you anticipate for the next year or
two,
either just with Sinai Chicago or health care
in general?
Certainly reimbursement.
Big one. So the changes in reimbursement
(08:11):
in the state of Illinois, we recently saw
loss of coverage for immigrant coverage for Medicaid.
That's a big,
you know, loss in revenue,
for any of us that, you know, any
and all of us in an urban area
have,
had folks in Illinois that, patients that were
covered through immigrant coverage that is now gone.
(08:32):
So changes in reimbursement continued changes will definitely
affect our bottom line.
Labor shortages, of course, continue, especially in a
competitive urban environment as ours.
That is a challenge both from clinicians
to frontline staff to techs
to call center operators,
(08:52):
not just physicians per se,
just aggregated, you know, every type of position.
Additionally, just then the result of the rising
costs, right, of of having that tight labor
market,
and the impact that that has
as well
as, you know, the continued increase in that's
the supply costs as well. You know, as
(09:14):
you grow, you have increased supply cost as
well in managing that expense line.
And, as we think about,
you know, any other policy changes that might
affect
regulations
that might come up,
you know, those as well as, of course,
AI.
And the place that AI will
(09:36):
play in the role of health care, I
we see that as an opportunity
for us in health care and as a
means to help us potentially
overcome some of these
barriers or future
obstacles that we have to overcome. So we're
looking forward to the opportunities
that, AI can help us with.
(09:57):
Absolutely. I know those are a lot of
headwinds and challenges you mentioned that are also
on other systems, radar as well. You you
know, the COO role has certainly evolved in
health care.
Just curious how you you think you've seen
it change over the years.
You know, I think
the the need
for even greater operational rigor
(10:19):
is absolutely needed because we just have fewer
dollars.
The need to be
at the
360,
you know,
view foot view
to
also being able
to gamble walk and know what's going on,
and not just stay at that high level
(10:40):
is also very much needed.
The need to be in tune with, like
I spoke earlier, our caregivers,
their, their needs, their personal needs,
the recognition
that, you know, when I first entered the
workforce,
you left your family life at home, your
personal life at home. And I think over
(11:01):
the years in the pandemic
just kind of surged the need to recognize
you, you just you can't do that anymore.
And so the need for empathic leadership,
understanding,
and the ability to still lead through compassion
and empathy
to have operational improvements and financial
results,
I think that the need for that has
(11:22):
greatly
increased.
The only last question I have for you,
Ileana,
how are you evolving as a leader?
How am I evolving as a leader?
I would say
continuing
regardless of the challenge because it seems as
if there are more and more challenges
every year. And in every year it feels
(11:44):
like
as healthcare and, you know, in
delivery of healthcare, we can't take anymore.
And so I'm evolving as a leader to
find
a place of
recentering myself
and making sure that I am centered
(12:05):
and focused
and focused on doing,
you know, very clearly
aligned of what the what are the things
that we have to do today and tomorrow.
Because,
you know, this this idea of three year,
even three year strategic planning
at this very moment seems
(12:27):
impossible.
And so
how do we with the craziness personally, how
do I keep myself centered and balanced so
that I can exude that
sense of calm in the storm.
And then
also really, you know, shorter term goals is
where we're really at and
(12:48):
not necessarily focused on that three year, five
year.
That seems, you know, out of touch and
so kind of resettling us to as maybe
a fifteen month view,
eighteen month view,
and so forth.
Yeah. I think that's a great point. You
know, with so much uncertainty, like you said,
in the years ahead, it's good to kinda
focus on the the tangibles
(13:09):
you can control now and and in the
short term. Yeah. Great great words on leadership
and and what's going on in health care.
Alyanna, thanks so much for joining us on
the podcast and for a great conversation. I
look forward to working with you again soon.
Sounds great. Thank you so much.
At athenahealth,
we know your ambulatory practice wants healthier,
a healthier business, healthier care teams, and healthier
(13:31):
patients.
But the complexities of modern health care tech
make it hard for you and your care
teams to focus on what matters most. That's
where athenahealth can help. Our AI native all
in one solutions reduce administrative burdens,
streamline billing and payments, and deliver critical insights
when clinicians need it most. That means fewer
clicks, more time for patients, and stronger bottom
(13:53):
lines.
Practicing medicine is complex, but running a practice
can be that much simpler with athenahealth.
See how simpler is healthier at athenahealth
dot com.
At athenahealth,
we know your ambulatory practice wants healthier,
a healthier business, healthier care teams, and healthier
patients.
But the complexities of modern health care tech
make it hard for you and your care
teams to focus on what matters most.
That's where athenahealth can help.
Our AI native all in one solutions reduce
administrative burdens,
(00:23):
streamline billing and payments, and deliver critical insights
when clinicians need it most.
That means fewer clicks, more time for patients,
and stronger bottom lines. Practicing medicine is complex,
but running a practice can be that much
simpler with athenahealth.
See how simpler is healthier@athenahealth.com.
(00:43):
Hi, everyone. Welcome to the Becker's Healthcare Podcast.
I'm Scott King, thrilled today to be joined
by Ileana Mora, executive vice president and chief
operating officer at Sinai Chicago. Ileana, how are
you doing today? Thanks so much for joining
us. I'm doing great. Thank you for having
me.
Of course. So I I think we're in
some really big important topics in health care
(01:04):
and and in leadership with you being a
a COO. But before we get started, I
just wonder if you could tell us a
little bit about your background, please. Yes. I
am currently at the Sinai Health System. I'm
the executive vice president and system chief operating
officer over
our two acute care hospitals, a rehab hospital,
and as well as a medical group and
(01:25):
a PHO.
I have prior to that,
I was also in the acute care space.
And then prior to that, my beginnings were
though in the ambulatory space. So I have
both a varied background in both, the outpatient
area and inpatient as well.
Appreciate you sharing all that that background information.
And, you know, it sounds like
(01:47):
as is the case with most c most
COOs and and working with health systems in
health care, you wear a lot of hats.
Right? So just curious of all the things
you do, all the different things you you
manage and oversee. What do you feel is
your biggest responsibility as the COO of your
system?
Biggest responsibility
is the people. The people part of the
(02:07):
business, which is essentially everything we do. Right?
It is the our service is delivered through
people as well as,
our patients are, you know, those that we
are healing.
And so, the biggest part of my responsibility
I see as making sure that our caregivers
are feel cared for, that we are offering
(02:29):
them compassion,
that we are offering them a place of
healing for themselves,
a family of colleagues
where they can do their best work. And
that means also
ensuring that they have what they need to
do their job best
to deliver
the highest quality of care
compassionately
(02:49):
and
empathically
to be able to service our patients, as
well as the greater community.
What are some things that Sinai Chicago that
you think kind of earn that trust,
from your staff and and help with team
building?
So I think some of the things in
terms of earning our trust is
just foundationally in terms of our values.
(03:12):
We really trust and dignity
and making sure that we're transparent in our
communication and
in these difficult times that we are right
now
in healthcare
and in hospital administration
and, you know, physician services, just
always being open and honest about where the
organization
(03:32):
is
and where we fit into the larger picture
of, you know, the health care space. So
I think building trust with our employees by
being transparent in our communications
is first and foremost.
The second is making sure that our leaders
are
really exhibiting the values and living out the
(03:52):
values and exhibiting the behaviors that are part
of our mission, vision, and values,
and that we are, you know, leading with
compassion, but
also
operational rigor and teaching
our staff and our teams and coaching them
in both of those areas.
And so focus on, like I said, mission,
(04:13):
vision, and values, living those out, a focus
on our leaders and empowering our leaders and
equipping our leaders so that they can lead
the others.
And, ultimately,
also empowering our leaders to
know how to build those teams
and how how do you build trust,
how do you get to know your employees
(04:35):
in a way that they feel cared for.
So those are the some of the things
that
in terms of
our culture that we practice.
With everything that Sinai Chicago
accomplished last year, which accomplishment do you see
as the best one or the one you're
most proud of?
Let's see.
We have there's so much to be proud
(04:57):
of.
And I would say
we have experienced a lot of growth
as an organization
and ensuring that we're servicing the community.
And that has
required kind of all parts of the organization
to be
working towards that. So, of course, everything from
(05:18):
the patient access area
to
the operational leaders to, of course, the the
clinicians delivering the care,
but also
environmental services
and security
and food and service and making sure that
that growth that we've experienced
is still a really great experience for the
(05:40):
patient and improvement
in our scores. So
for example,
we have Pres Gainey and our patient engagement
scores
have improved and even just our Google reviews
have,
improved as well, create quite dramatically,
despite the growth that we've seen. And so
we've been able to balance both growth
(06:02):
as well as a service that our patients
appreciate
and recommend.
Yeah. That's interesting, you know, because every health
system
obviously wants growth. But once you you see
that growth,
you have a lot more work to do,
don't you? There's there's still a lot to
be done.
Yes. For sure.
What are the big organizational goals
(06:24):
you set for 2025 with Sinai Chicago, and
how are you tracking
with those goals now?
Yes. So we certainly have continued
financial results to achieve.
We have results,
related to quality,
and safety,
as well as
(06:44):
overall
a patient engagement provider,
patient engagement, provider engagement, then of course, caregiver
engagement.
So we have goals in each one of
those areas, and we track them
monthly.
In some cases for some of the metrics,
as it relates to financial metrics and volumes,
we track daily
and we work together and come together.
(07:07):
Can be ad hoc impromptu when we see
certain numbers go certain ways.
But, otherwise we do meet,
for some rec metrics depending on what they
are,
biweekly,
every two weeks and others monthly.
So it depends on which area that,
we are monitoring on which basis, but,
(07:29):
we certainly meet and our meetings are really
focused on resolution
and
looking forward,
rather than reporting out data.
And so they are more focused on, okay,
let's celebrate some those wins, and then let's
talk about the areas that we haven't quite
seen the improvement we're looking for and how
do we work together as a team to
(07:50):
resolve them.
Yeah. We we've talked about progress and and
like you said, kinda keeping track of those
wins. But what headwinds or challenges
do you anticipate for the next year or
two,
either just with Sinai Chicago or health care
in general?
Certainly reimbursement.
Big one. So the changes in reimbursement
(08:11):
in the state of Illinois, we recently saw
loss of coverage for immigrant coverage for Medicaid.
That's a big,
you know, loss in revenue,
for any of us that, you know, any
and all of us in an urban area
have,
had folks in Illinois that, patients that were
covered through immigrant coverage that is now gone.
(08:32):
So changes in reimbursement continued changes will definitely
affect our bottom line.
Labor shortages, of course, continue, especially in a
competitive urban environment as ours.
That is a challenge both from clinicians
to frontline staff to techs
to call center operators,
(08:52):
not just physicians per se,
just aggregated, you know, every type of position.
Additionally, just then the result of the rising
costs, right, of of having that tight labor
market,
and the impact that that has
as well
as, you know, the continued increase in that's
the supply costs as well. You know, as
(09:14):
you grow, you have increased supply cost as
well in managing that expense line.
And, as we think about,
you know, any other policy changes that might
affect
regulations
that might come up,
you know, those as well as, of course,
AI.
And the place that AI will
(09:36):
play in the role of health care, I
we see that as an opportunity
for us in health care and as a
means to help us potentially
overcome some of these
barriers or future
obstacles that we have to overcome. So we're
looking forward to the opportunities
that, AI can help us with.
(09:57):
Absolutely. I know those are a lot of
headwinds and challenges you mentioned that are also
on other systems, radar as well. You you
know, the COO role has certainly evolved in
health care.
Just curious how you you think you've seen
it change over the years.
You know, I think
the the need
for even greater operational rigor
(10:19):
is absolutely needed because we just have fewer
dollars.
The need to be
at the
360,
you know,
view foot view
to
also being able
to gamble walk and know what's going on,
and not just stay at that high level
(10:40):
is also very much needed.
The need to be in tune with, like
I spoke earlier, our caregivers,
their, their needs, their personal needs,
the recognition
that, you know, when I first entered the
workforce,
you left your family life at home, your
personal life at home. And I think over
(11:01):
the years in the pandemic
just kind of surged the need to recognize
you, you just you can't do that anymore.
And so the need for empathic leadership,
understanding,
and the ability to still lead through compassion
and empathy
to have operational improvements and financial
results,
I think that the need for that has
(11:22):
greatly
increased.
The only last question I have for you,
Ileana,
how are you evolving as a leader?
How am I evolving as a leader?
I would say
continuing
regardless of the challenge because it seems as
if there are more and more challenges
every year. And in every year it feels
(11:44):
like
as healthcare and, you know, in
delivery of healthcare, we can't take anymore.
And so I'm evolving as a leader to
find
a place of
recentering myself
and making sure that I am centered
(12:05):
and focused
and focused on doing,
you know, very clearly
aligned of what the what are the things
that we have to do today and tomorrow.
Because,
you know, this this idea of three year,
even three year strategic planning
at this very moment seems
(12:27):
impossible.
And so
how do we with the craziness personally, how
do I keep myself centered and balanced so
that I can exude that
sense of calm in the storm.
And then
also really, you know, shorter term goals is
where we're really at and
(12:48):
not necessarily focused on that three year, five
year.
That seems, you know, out of touch and
so kind of resettling us to as maybe
a fifteen month view,
eighteen month view,
and so forth.
Yeah. I think that's a great point. You
know, with so much uncertainty, like you said,
in the years ahead, it's good to kinda
focus on the the tangibles
(13:09):
you can control now and and in the
short term. Yeah. Great great words on leadership
and and what's going on in health care.
Alyanna, thanks so much for joining us on
the podcast and for a great conversation. I
look forward to working with you again soon.
Sounds great. Thank you so much.
At athenahealth,
we know your ambulatory practice wants healthier,
a healthier business, healthier care teams, and healthier
(13:31):
patients.
But the complexities of modern health care tech
make it hard for you and your care
teams to focus on what matters most. That's
where athenahealth can help. Our AI native all
in one solutions reduce administrative burdens,
streamline billing and payments, and deliver critical insights
when clinicians need it most. That means fewer
clicks, more time for patients, and stronger bottom
(13:53):
lines.
Practicing medicine is complex, but running a practice
can be that much simpler with athenahealth.
See how simpler is healthier at athenahealth
dot com.
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