In this interview, Darlene Stromstad , president and CEO of Waterbury (Conn.) Hospital and the Greater Waterbury Health Network, of which the hospital is a part, discusses how she copes with the strains of having to make tough decisions in a time of healthcare upheaval that has included the need to downsize.
Becker’s Hospital Review asked her: “If you could eliminate one of the healthcare industry’s problems overnight, which would it be?”
She answered:
“There is still a lack of access to healthcare for many people, even if it is only because they perceive they don’t have access. There are members of this community that do not know how to use the healthcare system. There are many reasons for that, including socioeconomic and language barriers. Some may be intimidated by the size of hospitals and intimidated to go to the doctor’s office. We need to find better ways to bring healthcare to where people live, delivered in a way that is meaningful to them. The causes are complicated, but every day we are taking care of patients whose illnesses are preventable. They are not accessing healthcare in a way that works for them.”
