We caught up with CEO Ed Jimenez and asked him several questions for this edition of News+Notes. See how to submit your question at the bottom of the page!

We’re celebrating our veterans this month. How do you feel about our employees who have served?

They inspire our appreciation. It’s humbling to know that they have chosen to serve — which has likely taken them away from their families, jobs and lives — and they’ve returned to work here. They bring with them not only their experiences and the life-changing impact of their service, but also another version of passion. Our institution is filled with passionate people with fires in their bellies to do great things, and our military veterans are no exception. Their dedication to our country makes us all want to do better.

Why are our Hospitality Huddles so important?

The hospitality journey we embarked on was intended to create a culture shift. One of the ways to ensure that it becomes a part of our culture is to hardwire it by having everyone participate in Hospitality Huddles. The process of huddles has this underpinning of teamwork, because whoever is on the unit or in the area participates. So Huddles bring together people with different roles and supervisors — and they talk about very specific, shared topics that are important to our journey. Huddles enable us to think about what we’re doing together that works well and to make it the norm, rather than a temporary project or something with a time limitation to it. I’m hearing good things about Huddles. We can always do better, so as a management team we’re always looking for feedback to take our Huddles to the next level. Visit bridge.UFHealth.org/hospitality and share input (click on “In Your Words”).

What message do you have for employees this holiday season?

Around the holidays, it’s important for staff to spend time with their friends and families — to recharge, celebrate, appreciate and take comfort in each other. When it’s time for us to put our head down at night, we know the impact we’ve made here at UF Health and that our friends and family are there for us. I also encourage staff to involve themselves in their communities and think of ways they can lend a helping hand to those in need, especially during the holidays.

WANT TO SUBMIT A QUESTION?

Email taylt@shands.ufl.edu and we’ll consider it for an upcoming edition.