AT THE HELM

York Hospital's Judd Knox. Photo:  Amy Root-Donle

Judd Knox, the president and CEO of York Hospital, said his hazy career plans certainly didn't include staying in one place for 25 years. But after stints as a hospital administrator in Camden and Waterville, Maine, and at the Navy Medical Center in Newport, R.I., Knox came to York Hospital in November 1982 and hasn't left.

He has overseen major growth into satellite centers from Wells to Berwick that offer general practice services and speciality expertise (including heart and cancer centers) for patients throughout the Southern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire region.

York Hospital opened its doors in 1906 to basically serve the summer community but the 79-bed facility is now an integral economic and medical player in the region. Knox talked to Ventures about the technology driven changes in the industry, the challenges to keep the focus on patient care and learning from the Dalai Lama about relationships.

Ventures: Why 25 years in the same place?

Knox: I love the area. It's a great place to live, for my family to have grown up. I'm not the greatest planner and if you had talked to me back then, I would have said that I'll be here three to five years. I love York Hospital and the people who are here. We've done a lot of good stuff. I've learned a great deal from the people with whom I've worked. We've been innovative and it's a lot of fun.

Ventures: How would you describe your leadership philosophy?

Knox: I'm a simple guy. This stuff to me, health care administration, really boils down to do something worthwhile. It's all about folks and the relationships we develop. Hopefully my leadership style reflects my personal values: to be positive with other people's lives.

Ventures: What's the best book you've read lately and why is it worth sharing?

Knox: "How to Expand Love" by the Dalai Lama, it's a fundamental great book because it is about strengthening relationships with each other — which I believe is at the core of health care.

Ventures: What's the biggest change you've seen in the business since you arrived at York Hospital?

Knox: I've watched health care, medical care become more and more complex. The magnitude of complexity is increasing geometrically and as that happens, it becomes easier or more possible to get pulled away from what I think are the core values. What we need to pay attention to is the politics, technology, labor, cost, and governance. It's easier to take your eye off the ball and lose sight of what we are here to do "" patient care.

Ventures: With the presidential primary season heating up, what's your assessment of the growing debate about health care reform?

Knox: The quality of health care debate is actually very good. I hope the debate gets greater, louder and more contentious. Not that I would align myself with a particular philosophy or candidate but we won't be able to create a working system unless we have a lot of open constructive debate about what we really want. Whatever path we adopt needs to be based on some kind of social framework about what we want.

Ventures: What is one of the biggest challenges the industry faces?

Knox: Providing a high level of sophisticated scientifically based medical care in a system that is easy navigated by patients and families. It takes a wicked high level of persistence to deal with the pressures (the financial, and political) that pull us off that focus.

Ventures: What are you doing now that you couldn't have imagined, say 10 years ago?

Knox: The specialization of medicine, even the growth of sub-specialities, along with the technology and our diagnostic capabilities, all have grown beyond my expectations of 10 years ago. But here's another aspect we are very enthusiastic about: even with the increase in complexity and with the external pressures and influences, it is still possible to stay focused on patients and families — and to increase our access for our community members.