Beterra Client Leadership Series: Mariana V. Gattegno, MPH, CPHQ

Empathy Meets Excellence: Mariana at Shepherd Center

Mariana V. Gattegno exemplifies compassionate leadership in healthcare safety and quality at Shepherd Center, a renowned rehabilitation hospital specializing in spinal cord and brain injuries, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and other neuromuscular conditions. Shepherd Center’s commitment to fostering a safety culture and continuous improvement has significantly enhanced patient outcomes and staff well-being.

A Journey Rooted in Compassion and Community

Mariana’s passion for healthcare was deeply influenced by the strong women in her family, particularly her mother, whose unwavering compassion and support for others left an indelible mark. She observed her mother consistently choosing compassion even in challenging situations, shaping Mariana’s belief that kindness and empathy lead to community growth. This early exposure inspired Mariana to pursue a career where she could combine her technical skills in process improvement with directly impacting people’s lives. She reflects, “I realized that if we all care for each other, we all get to grow together.”

Addressing Contemporary Challenges in Patient Safety while Meeting the Needs of Rehab Hospitals.

In today’s healthcare landscape, staffing shortages, and clinician burnout present significant challenges. Mariana highlights that these issues are interconnected, negatively impacting the quality of care, patient safety, and overall satisfaction. She emphasizes the importance of addressing these issues through systemic changes, aligning with the Quadruple Aim framework, which integrates team member well-being alongside patient outcomes, health improvements, and cost reduction. Mariana notes, “Addressing these issues is critical not just for the well-being of our teams but also for ensuring that patients receive the care and attention they deserve.”

Mariana sees a valuable opportunity for increased leadership engagement in healthcare safety and quality, mainly through value-based care, prioritizing patient outcomes, preventive care, coordination, and efficiency, and aligning financial incentives with high-quality care delivery.

Rehabilitation hospitals face additional unique challenges, including reimbursement limitations, reduced lengths of hospital stay, increased patient acuity, and inequitable access to specialized care. Mariana acknowledges these hurdles, noting that Shepherd Center often cares for patients with complex conditions requiring multifaceted care, which insurers don’t always adequately recognize or compensate. Shortened hospital stays further compound this issue, limiting crucial recovery time needed to achieve optimal patient outcomes.

Mariana strongly advocates for equitable access to specialized rehabilitation services, recognizing the barriers faced by patients from underserved, rural, or financially constrained backgrounds. Shepherd Center proactively addresses these disparities by providing financial assistance, housing support, coordinated post-discharge care, and comprehensive outpatient services. Yet, Mariana emphasizes that significant work remains to ensure that all patients have equitable opportunities for recovery and rehabilitation.

Innovative Initiatives Driving Quality Care

Shepherd Center has remarkably improved patient care quality. A notable example is the significant 55% reduction in hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPI) over two years, achieved through strategic implementation of standard work and best practices by the Wound Prevention Workgroup. Shepherd Center’s current HAPI rate of 0.69 remains well below the national average.

Furthermore, the center has sustained a notably low rehospitalization rate, with only 1 in 10 patients requiring rehospitalization within 30 days of discharge. These impressive outcomes reflect Shepherd Center’s dedication to meticulous safety measures, comprehensive patient and family training, and robust transitional support to ensure sustained patient recovery beyond the hospital stay.

Leadership Philosophy and the Role of Mentorship

Mariana believes effective healthcare safety and quality leadership hinge on strong communication, integrity, and genuine empathy. She asserts, “We are impacting people’s lives and loved ones everyday—compassion and kindness must be at the center of that.”

Mentorship has played a significant role throughout Mariana’s career, deeply influencing her personal and professional growth. Early in her career, a mentor helped Mariana navigate the complexities of healthcare leadership, particularly as a woman stepping into leadership roles. These experiences boosted her confidence and shaped her leadership style profoundly. Mariana continues to engage in mentorship, actively guiding others and advocating for mentorship as an essential tool for continuous learning, critical thinking, and developing professional confidence. She advises new professionals to remain patient, persistent, and always curious, encouraging them to ask “why” continuously as a fundamental component of quality and safety improvement.

Committed to continuous professional development, Mariana actively engages with industry publications from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA). She also regularly participates in webinars, conferences, and workshops and maintains active memberships in the National Association of Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) and the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).

Beyond Healthcare: A Competitive Spirit

Outside of her professional responsibilities, Mariana has a competitive passion for ping pong, a hobby she has enjoyed since childhood. This personal interest adds a unique and playful dimension to her multifaceted personality.

Mariana’s dedication to healthcare safety and quality at Shepherd Center exemplifies the profound impact of compassionate and innovative leadership, continually advancing the standards of patient care and positively shaping the future of healthcare. We at Beterra are proud to partner with leaders like Mariana and organizations like Shepherd Center.

Learn more about Shepherd Center here.

This post is part of Beterra’s ongoing series highlighting exceptional leaders in healthcare safety and quality. Stay tuned for our next story!