UP NEXT ON "CYCLE OF HEALTH..." >> TONIGHT, WE ARE HAVING A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ABOUT LEADERSHIP IN THE MEDICAL FIELD.

WE WILL EXPLORE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR VITAL MEDICAL CARE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE STRAIN ON HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS IN RECENT YEARS LARGELY DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

>> THE PANDEMIC HIT, IT BLIND SIDED US, AND IT WAS JUST TIME TO STEP UP AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO CYCLE OF HEALTH, I'M DR. RICH O'NEILL.

TONIGHT, WE ARE HAVING A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ABOUT LEADERSHIP IN THE MEDICAL FIELD.

WE WILL EXPLORE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR VITAL MEDICAL CARE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE STRAIN ON HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS IN RECENT YEARS LARGELY DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

TONIGHT, WE'RE JOINED BY TWO HIGH PROFILE LEADERS IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY HERE TO LEARN ABOUT HOW THEY HAVE MANAGED THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREERS, AND THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.

LET'S MEET OUR GUESTS.

DR. GREG EASTWOOD: EMERITUS PROFESSOR AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF SUNY UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY DR. BOB CORONA: CEO OF UPSTATE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

WHEN I FIRST THOUGHT OF THIS SHOW, I DECIDED I WANTED TO INVITE Dr. EASTWOOD TO DO SOME REPORTING FOR US, AND I CALLED HIM UP AND I SAID WOULD YOU DO IT?

HE SAID YEAH AND THEN HE SAID I KNOW WHO I WANT TO TALK TO.

I WANT TO TALK TO Dr. BOB CORONA, THE C.E.O.

HERE WE ARE.

THE FIRST QUESTION GOES TO YOU AS OUR REPORTER, Dr. EASTWOOD, OFF YOU GO.

>> BOB, NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

YOU ARE THE C.E.O.

OF UPSTATE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT FROM TIME TO TIME I RUN INTO SOME CONFUSION, WHOSE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IS THAT?

WE HAVE ANOTHER UNIVERSITY IN SYRACUSE.

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?

AND BY THE WAY HOW DOES UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL RELATE TO UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY?

AND FURTHER, WHAT IS MEDICAL UPSTATE UNIVERSITY?

DO YOU WANT TO TACKLE ALL OF THAT THE?

THERE THERE IS A LOT OF CONFUSION RELATED TO UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL AND WHAT UNIVERSITY DO WE BELONG TO.

SO WE ARE PART OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK.

NOT ANY OTHER UNIVERSITY.

AND THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IS PART OF UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY.

SO WE REALLY ARE A COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, COLLEGE OF NURSING, A COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND A GRADUATE COLLEGE, AND THEN OUR MISSION, AS THE TEACHING HOSPITAL FOR THOSE COLLEGES AND TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY ARE UNIVERSITY, AS WE ARE DOWNTOWN, BUT WE ARE ALSO A COMMUNITY HOSPITAL.

SO WE HAVE UPSTATE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL THAT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE DOWNTOWN HOSPITAL.

SO THE DIFFERENCE IS, AND I THINK IT'S A REMARKABLE DIFFERENCE, IS BEING A TEACHING HOSPITAL.

>> HOW DOES BEING A TEACHING HOSPITAL-- SO I'M A GUY ON THE STLEET AND I'M THINKING WHAT HOSPITAL AM I GOING TO GO TO?

HOW DOES BEING A TEACHING HOSPITAL MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO ME IF I GO THROUGH THE DOOR AND I SAY, TAKE CARE OF ME?

>> WE ARE A LIVING LABORATORY.

AND WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE CUTTING EDGE.

SO WE ARE TEACHING THE FUTURE PRACTITIONERS OF HEALTHCARE HOW TO BE GOOD DOCTORS, HOW TO BE GOOD NURSES, OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.

SO I THINK THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING A PATIENT IS, YOU HAVE MANY, MANY EYES AND GREAT BRAINS LOOKING AT YOUR PROBLEM AND THE DISCUSSIONS THAT OCCUR AND THE SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS WE HAVE IN THE HOSPITAL MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.

SO IF YOU GET A GROUP OF PEOPLE THINKING THROUGH A PROBLEM, YOU ARE GOING TO GET A BETTER SOLUTION.

AND WE HAVE TUMOR BOARDS AND EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS, AND IT'S A CONSTANT DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE PATIENTS ARE ULTIMATELY THE BENEFACTORS.

>> AND YOU'VE GOT THESE ANKLE BITING WHIPPER SNAPPER MEDICAL STUDENTS HOLDING YOU TO ACCOUNT AS AN ATTENDING PHYSICIAN OR FACULTY MEMBER.

>> RIGHT.

YOU CAN'T GET AWAY WITH WHAT YOU LEARNED IN 1990.

YOU HAVE TO BE CONTEMPORARY.

>> YOU ARE BRINGING THE LATEST AND THE BEST.

YOU ARE TEACHING THAT.

AND THE FACULTY IS... >>ITE JUST MAKES FOR A WONDERFUL ENVIRONMENT.

IT'S MUCH RICHER MPLE.

>> SO LEADING A HOSPITAL AND CLINICAL NETWORK WITH ALL THE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH IT IS ALWAYS A TOUGH JOB.

I KNOW THAT FROM MY PRIOR EXPERIENCE.

BUT IT'S REALLY BEEN TOUGH IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

COULD YOU GIVE US A LITTLE INSIGHT INTO THAT?

WHAT YOUR CHALLENGES HAVE BEEN?

AND ALSO, I MEAN WE HEAR LOTS OF REALLY GOOD STORIES.

YOU HEAR BAD THINGS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

BUT WE ARE HEAR SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS, TOO.

SO TELL US WHAT IT HAS BEEN LIKE HERE IN SYRACUSE AT UPSTATE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.

>> I THINK THE GOOD THING IS WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO ANTICIPATE THE PROBLEM.

IT CAME ON SO FAST.

>> KABOOM, THERE IT WAS.

>> AND IT WAS LIKE GET READY, WE HAVE TO GO: IT WAS KIND OF LIKE WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I LEARNED TO FLY.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DON'T TELL YOU WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO SOLO SO YOU DON'T GET ANXIOUS ABOUT THE DAY YOU HAVE TO SOLO IN A PLANE.

I REMEMBER THAT DAY VIVIDLY WHEN THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CAME TO ME AND SAID I'M GETTING OUT NOW.

AND I REMEMBER I TOLD HIM I WASN'T READY.

HE SAID YOU ARE READY.

AND YOU DO IT.

SO WHAT HAPPENED IS THE PANDEMIC HIT, BLIND SIDED US AND IT WAS TIME TO STEP UP AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE A GREAT TEAM.

REALLY SMART PEOPLE AND THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT IT IS WE LEARNED ABOUT THE DEEP DEATH OF TALENT WE HAD AT OUR INSTITUTION.

PEOPLE CAME OUT OF THE WOODWORK AND PERFORMED.

AND WE WERE UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE, NOT ONLY TO DELIVER GOOD HEALTHCARE, BUT TO DELIVER THE DATA TO THE POLITICIANS AND THE REGULATORS THAT WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

SO IT WAS INTENSE AND IT CONTINUES TO BE INTENSE.

>> THE DATA FROM THE RESEARCHERS AND THE SCHOLARS WHO ARE ALSO THE TREATING FACULTY AND THE ATTENDINGS.

>> THAT DATA SPECIFICALLY OUR DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH WNTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON?

WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THE FRONT LINE?

WHAT WAS OUR SUPPLY CHAIN LIKE?

REMEMBER THE VENTILATOR SHORTAGE.

WHERE ARE WE GOING TO REDISTRIBUTE VENTILATORS.

THERE WAS TALK ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO TRANSPORT PATIENTS IF WE RUN OUT OF CAPACITY.

STAFFING WASN'T A PROBLEM IN THE BEGINNING.

IN FACT, UPSTATE SENT NURSES AND RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS AND PHARMACISTS TO HOSPITALS DOWNSTATE DURING THE EARLY TIME OF THE PANDEMIC.

NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE ARE IN A STAFFING CRISIS AND IT'S HARD TO GET STAFF BACK OUR WAY BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS IN A STAFFING CRISIS BUT IN THE BEGINNING, IT WAS UPSTATE PEOPLE THAT HELPED THE PEOPLE DOWNSTATE.

THAT DATA HAD TO BE CONSTANTLY FED SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SO THEY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

WHO WAS VACCINATED.

HOW MANY WERE UNVACCINATED.

HOW MANY COVID PATIENTS DID WE HAVE?

HOW MANY ICU PATIENTS DO WE HAVE.

IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE TEAM AND THEY STEPPED UP AND THEY CONTINUED TO STEP UP.

>> ANOTHER THING ABOUT YOU, YOU ARE A PHYSICIAN.

AND SURE, THERE ARE PHYSICIANS WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF HOSPITALS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

BUT THEY'RE IN THE MINORITY.

MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF HOSPITALS ARE NOT PHYSICIANS.

THEY'RE TRAINED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.

I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR 30 YEARS AND I KNOW YOU WERE ON OUR FACULTY AND YOU ARE A NEUROPATHOLOGIST, DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY.

I KNOW YOU WENT AWAY FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND WERE THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR AT WELSHING ALLEN, A PROMINENT MANUFACTURING COMPANY IN THIS VICINITY.

AND THEN YOU CAME BACK AS CHAIR OF OUR DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY AND NOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS YOU ARE HEAD OF THE HOSPITAL.

YOUR EXPERIENCE, ALL OF OUR EXPERIENCES HELP US AT WHATEVER THE NEXT, WHATEVER WE ARE DOING NEXT.

HOW HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE IN PARTICULAR HELPED YOU IN THIS JOB?

>> IT'S GIVEN ME A BROAD PERSPECTIVE, AND THE PRINCIPLES I LEARNED IN BUSINESS ARE HELPFUL IN OPERATING A HOSPITAL BECAUSE IT IS A BUSINESS.

IT ALLOWS ME TO ACCEPT AND INTEGRATE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES INTO MY THINKING.

I NOTICE THAT I STOP AND REFLECT MORE TO THINK THINGS THROUGH INSTEAD OF KNEE JERK REACT BECAUSE EVERY DAY IS FULL OF PROBLEMS JUST OPERATING A HOSPITAL, THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS DOWN.

THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT GETS FLOODED FROM A PLUMBING ISSUE.

WE ARE RUNNING INTO A STAFFING CRISIS.

DO WE MANDATE NURSES?

IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS.

AND IF YOU FOCUSED ON JUST ONE PROBLEM DURING THE DAY, YOU WOULD GET SO FAR BEHIND, SO YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SKATE IN HELP THE TEAM WHERE YOU CAN, AND THEN SKATE OUT AND GO TO THE NEXT PROBLEM.

AND I THINK THE DIVERSE BACKGROUND I HAVE NOW HAS HELPED ME.

YOU KNOW, AS A PATHOLOGIST, A NEUROPATH PATHOLOGIST, FOR INSTANCE, WE GET PULLED INTO THE OPERATING ROOM AND THE NEUROSURGEON TAKES A BIOPSY AND SAYS WHAT IS THAT?

WE CAN'T DO OUR WHOLE PANEL OF TESTS THAT WE TRADITIONALLY DO OVER A COUPLE OF DAYS TO MAKE A DETERMINATION.

THE NEUROSURGEON NEEDS TO KNOW IS THAT A TUMOR?

IS IT MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?

IS IT A STROKE?

WHAT IS IT?

WE HAVE TO MAKE THE CALL WITH MAYBE 60% OF THE DATA AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DO EVERY DAY.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR ALL THE DATA TO COME IN.

I HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH CALLS.

AND I SCREW UP.

HOPEFULLY I DON'T SCREW UP MORE THAN I GET THINGS RIGHT.

AND THE NICE THING IS I HAVE A GREAT TEAM.

THE WONDERFUL THING IS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SELECT AN OUTSTANDING OFFICER TEAM THAT WORKS WELL.

AND THEN I THINK MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PHYSICIANS, HOPEFULLY, REMAINS POSITIVE AS I WAS A CHAIR.

AND THEN BEING A PHYSICIAN, AS YOU MENTIONED, LEADER, I'M ABLE TO SOMETIMES SIT IN ON THE MEDICAL DISCUSSIONS.

I MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE, WHEN THE PANDEMIC FIRST STARTED, WE WERE ABLE TO MEET WITH THE PHYSICIANS IN WUHAN.

>> CHINA?

>> CHINA.

AND THEY GAVE US SOME INCREDIBLE INSIGHTS TO WHAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING WITH THE PANDEMIC.

AND THE FACT THAT I HAVE A MEDICAL BACKGROUND AND I'M A PATH PATHOLOGIST, I WAS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND A LOT OF WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT AND WE WERE INSTANTANEOUSLY ABLE TO APPLY THOSE IN OUR OWN PRACTICE OF MEDICINE AT UPSTATE.

>> YOU WERE REALLY TALKING FACULTY SCIENTIST TO FACULTY SCIENTIST REALLY ACROSS, REALLY UNIVERSITIES TO UNIVERSITY.

AND THE POLITICAL STUFF LIKE THE FACT THAT PEOPLE DON'T TRUST CHINA, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS GONE.

>> YEAH THAT DIDN'T MATTER.

>> DIDN'T MATTER.

YOU WERE FOCUSED ON SOLVING THE PANDEMIC PROBLEM.

>> RIGHT.

AND THEY WERE WONDERFUL TO US AND PROVIDED INCREDIBLE INSIGHTS THAT HELPED OUR PATIENTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> YEAH, YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT KEY PRINCIPLES DO YOU USE TO GUIDE ALL OF THESE DECISIONS YOU MAKE, BOB?

>> YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN BLESSED TO HAVE HAD TREMENDOUS LEADERS AND MENTORS IN MY LIFE.

>> Dr. EASTWOOD OVER HERE.

>> YES.

EARLY ON IN MY CAREER, HE BELIEVED IN ME.

I CAN REMEMBER COMING TO HIM AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, I REALLY THINK WE SHOULD BE DOING TELEMEDICINE AT UPSTATE AND HE HAD EXPERIENCE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA.

AND I SAID I THINK WE CAN START OUT WITH TELEPATHOLOGY AND HE GAVE ME THE RESOURCES TO DO IT.

AND WE DID IT.

AND IT TOOK OFF.

AND IT LED TO MY CAREER AT WELSC H-AL EN.

WE CHANGED THE DIAGNOSIS OF A BRAIN TUMOR OF A KID IN BINGHAMTON USING A VERY CRUDE MICROSCOPE WITH A CAMERA.

>> CRUDE COMPARED TO WHAT YOU DO THESE DAYS?

>> VERY CRUDE.

>> AND SO THAT WAS GREAT THAT HE BELIEVED IN ME, GAVE ME CONFIDENCE.

GAVE ME THE RESOURCES.

AND I CAN REMEMBER HIM SAYING MY JOB IS TO GET THE BARRIERS OUT OF YOUR WAY.

AND WHEN I LEFT AND WENT TO WELSCH-ALLEN WHERE I HAD OTHER GREAT LEADERS LIKE BILL ALLEN AND W.G.L.

AND THE GRANDFATHER, THEY WERE WONDERFUL, TOO.

HE IS THE ONE THAT SAID GO FOR IT.

AND WHEN I WENTED TO COME BACK TO UPSTATE, IT WAS BILL ALLEN THAT SAID I THINK THE TIME IS RIGHT.

YOU HAVE BEEN HERE 16 YEARS AND I CAN SEE YOU WANT TO GO BACK.

SO I HAVE JUST BEEN REALLY FORTUNATE.

THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER MENTORS IN MY LIFE, BUT NONE GRATER THAN Dr. EASTWOOD AND I THINK BILL ALLEN.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE IN TERMS OF YOUR PRINCIPLES, PRINCIPLES ARE TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT, GET THE OBSTACLES OUT OF THEIR WAY.

AM I PICKING THIS UP?

>> AND I ALSO SAY HAVE THE COURAGE TO MAKE DECISIONS WITHOUT ALL DATA.

THAT'S HARD.

HAVE HUMILITY.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

I KNOW WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ON ABOUT BEING KIND.

AND I REALLY DRIVE HOME THAT NEVER, NEVER, NEVER MISTAKE KINDNESS FOR WEAKNESS.

YOU CAN BE REALLY TOUGH, MAKE DISCIPLINED DECISIONS AND STILL BE KIND.

>> FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS.

EVERY FRIDAY YOU PUT OUT A TWO TO THREE-MINUTE LITTLE VIDEO BLUSH TO BLURB TO EVERYBODY IN THE HOSPITAL.

BUT IN THERE YOU ALWAYS END WITH BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND BE KIND TO OTHERS.

SO THAT, TO ME, IS ONE OF THE CENTRAL ASPECTS OF YOUR LEADERSHIP.

YOU ARE REALLY TELLING PEOPLE, HERE IS A CENTRAL VALUE FOR YOU AND YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO BE A CENTRAL VALUE FOR EVERYBODY AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL AND THE UNIVERSITY.

>> TRUE.

WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF CARING FOR PEOPLE.

AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO BE COMPASSIONATE AND KIND.

>> ESSENTIAL.

>> FROM A PSYCHOLOGIST POINT OF VIEW, ESSENTIAL.

>> THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WHEN THEY COME.

THEY WANT TO BE COMFORTED.

THEY'RE SCARED.

IT'S AN INTIMIDATING ENVIRONMENT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I DO IS I WALK AROUND.

I DO LEADERSHIP BY WALKING AROUND.

AND I SEE ACTS OF KINDNESS EVERY DAY.

I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT.

I WANT PEOPLE TO BE COMFORTABLE THAT IT'S GOOD TO BE KIND AND COMPASSIONATE.

BUT BY NO MEANS IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE WEAK.

>> WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT A FASCINATING PIECE OF RESEARCH, WHERE YOU CAN TALK MORE ABOUT IT, BUT ABOUT ONE GROUP OF RATS AND ANOTHER GROUP OF RATS AND IT WAS HEART DISEASE THEY WERE STUDYING.

AND THEY FOUND ONE GROUP OF RATS DIDN'T GET HEART DISEASE FROM THIS DIET AND ANOTHER DID.

AND THE KEY DIFFERENCE WAS... >> WAS THE COMPASSION AND THE KINDNESS OF THE CARE TAKER.

>> THE CARE TAKER WAS KIND, THOSE FOLKS DIDN'T-- THOSE RATS DIDN'T DEVELOP HEART DISEASE.

>> AND YOU CAN SEE IT IN SOME OF THE STUDIES OF LIKE BLUE ZONES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE LONGEVITY.

>> WHAT IS A BLUE ZONE?

>> A BLUE ZONE IS AN AREA WHERE PEOPLE LIVE OFTEN INTO AGE 100 WITH VERY HEALTHY LIVES.

>> TELL ME HIVE I WANT TO 3406 THERE.

>>-- I WANT TO MOVE THERE.

>> THEY'RE ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THERE ARE BOOKS WRITTEN ABOUT IT.

BUT THERE IS THE BLUE ZONE DIET.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY KIND OF A MEDITERRANEAN DIET AND MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE AND SOCIALIZATION AND KINDNESS IS A BIG PART OF IT.

AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND CONNECTION WITH OTHERS SEEMS TO BE A VERY POSITIVE FACTOR IN LONGEVITY.

>> I KNOW THAT YOU ARE ENGAGED-- YOU ARE A VERY BUSY PERSON, BUT YOU ALSO TAKE TIME IN YOUR SCHEDULE TO TEACH MEDICAL STUDENTS IN A SEMINAR.

AND I HAVE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE MYSELF SO I KNOW WHAT THAT IS LIKE.

I HAVE A REALLY GOOD IDEA OF HOW THE STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM THAT.

WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU?

>> IT KEEPS ME IN TOUCH WITH WHAT IS GOING ON, ONCE AGAIN, IN THE HOSPITAL BUT ALSO IN THE COLLEGES OF MEDICINE AND EVEN NURSING AND HEALTH PROFESSIONS.

AND THAT'S OUR FUTURE.

SO WHAT DO THEY WANT IN THE HOSPITAL IN THE FUTURE?

THEY REALLY ENJOY HEARING THE STORIES OF THE ETHICAL DILEMMAS THAT WE RUN UP AGAINST ON A DAILY BASIS.

>> SO YOU TEACH ETHICS, RIGHT?

>> I TEACH ETHICS, YES?

IT'S HIS FAULT.

>> THAT'S NOT A VERY ETHICAL THING TO BLAME HIM.

[LAUGHTER] >> I GOT INTERESTED IN TEACHING BIO ETHICS WITH Dr. EASTWOOD.

>> HIGHER LEVEL PRINCIPLES ABOUT HOW TO LEAD A SUCCESSFUL AND HELPFUL LIFE.

>> BUT THERE ARE PROBLEMS THAT ARE NOT IN THE MEDICAL CURRICULUM THAT THESE STUDENTS WILL ENCOUNTER, AND AT LEAST THEY HAVE SOME BACKGROUND ON HOW TO PROBLEM SOLVE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALSO STRAIGHTFORWARD, YOU KNOW, LIKE A CHEMISTRY PROBLEM.

THERE IS A LOT OF NUANCE ON DECIDING ON ETHICS.

I BENEFIT TREMENDOUSLY BY HEARING THEIR PERSPECTIVE.

AND THEY COULD BE ALL OVER THE BOARD AND THE KEY IS TRYING TO RALLY THEM AROUND SOLVING A SINGLE PROBLEM.

THEY MAY HAVE DIFFERENCES OF BACKGROUNDS AND OPINIONS BUT THEY HAVE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

THAT HELPS IN GENERAL IN THE HOSPITAL, TOO BECAUSE YOU HAVE PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT AGENDAS, PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND YOU HAVE TO RALLY THEM AROUND SOLVING CERTAIN PROBLEMS.

AND THEY HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR DIFFERENCES BEHIND TO GRET THE PROBLEM SOLVES-- TO IT GO THE PROBLEM SOLVED.

>> HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

YOU HAVE STUDENTS BUT ALSO A TEAM OF PEOPLE WHO NO DOUBT HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND YOU, TOO, GREG.

YOU DID THE SAME THING.

YOU WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER TEAMS OF PEOPLE WHO DID THE JOB?

HOW DO YOU GET PEOPLE TO WORK TOGETHER AND SOLVE RATHER THAN FOCUS ON THEIR DIFFERENCES?

>> ONE THING IS WE TALKED EARLIER BEFORE THIS SHOW ABOUT THE NOTION THAT SOMETIMES LEADERS ARE SUPPOSED TO SAY I WOULDN'T HAVE SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING THAT I WOULDN'T DO MYSELF.

WELL, IN THE POSITIONS THAT I HAD, THAT'S ABSURD BECAUSE I COULD NEVER DO SOME OF THE JOBS THAT OTHER PEOPLE WHO REPORTED TO ME.

MAYBE THE DEAN OF MEDICINE BECAUSE I WAS ONE.

BUT I COULDN'T-- THEY WERE SELECTED BECAUSE OF THEIR PARTICULAR TALENTS, EXPERTISE AND ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER AND SO ON SO THERE IS THAT SKILL, AT LEAST YOU ASPIRE TO THAT, AS A LEADER, TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER WHO HAVE-- THEY'RE NOT UNIQUE TALENTS BUT TALENTS RELEVANT TO WHATEVER THE ORGANIZATION NEEDS.

AND RESPECT THAT AND REWARD IT.

MOST PEOPLE THINK OF REWARDS AS SOMETHING TANGIBLE, SALARY AND SO ON.

BUT REAL REWARD IS SATISFACTION OF DOING A JOB THAT'S USEFUL AND WELL DONE.

>> IN FACT, THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WHAT PEOPLE-- WHY PEOPLE STAY IN AN ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE THEY HAVE FRIENDS AND THEY GET TO DO WHAT THEY REALLY WANT TO DO AND IS REWARDING TO THEM.

SO YOU ARE PICKING PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO A PARTICULAR THING AND THEY HAVE THE TALENT TO DO IT.

WHAT IS YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THAT ISSUE?

>> I AGREE.

THE OTHER THING IS I TRY TO SET UP THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WOULD CREATE A SUCCESSFUL MERGER OF POSITIONS AND OPINIONS.

SO EMAIL IS A BAD WAY TO COMMUNICATE AS FAR AS ANYTHING THAT HAS AN EMOTIONAL CHARGE TO IT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> SO ONE CLASS I TOOK, I REMEMBER THEY TALKED ABOUT LEAN VERSUS RICH COMMUNICATION AND YOU REALLY NEED TO HAVE RICH COMMUNICATION.

AND THAT'S USUALLY A LOT OF BODY LANGUAGE AND SO ON SO YOU REALLY THEY'D TO BE IN PERSON THE OTHER THING I'VE LEARNED, IF YOU WANT TO LEAD THEM, YOU HAVE TO FEED THEM.

WE USUALLY TRY TO GET THEIR BELLIES FULL, SOME KIND OF FOOD.

AND IT PUTS PEOPLE IN A BETTER MOOD.

WHEN YOU SIT AROUND WITH FAMILY OVER A DINNER TABLE AND EVERYBODY IS EATING, IT'S USUALLY A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE AND THAT SEEMS TO WORK.

SO SET THE ENVIRONMENT UP IN ADVANCE.

>> SOMETHING YOU JUST SAID I WANT TO PICK UP ON.

IT INDICATES TO ME, BOB, THAT YOU ARE CONTINUING TO LEARN AND APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED TO YOUR JOB.

AND THAT'S THE CASE WITH ME.

HERE I AM, I'VE LIVED OVER EIGHT DECADES.

I'M STILL LEARNING.

MY ONLY REGRET IS THAT I DIDN'T KNOW IT 20 YEARS AGO.

>> WE JUST HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE.

ONE THING I WANTED TO TOUCH ON BEFORE WE STOP IS THE BEES INITIATIVE YOU STARTED.

YOU HAVE THE KINDNESS INITIATIVE.

TELL US ABOUT THE BEES AND HOW THAT FITS IN WITH YOUR OVERALL VISION.

>> WE HAVE FOUR PILLARS THAT STARTED BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF CARE, IMPROVING THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR PATIENTS.

TO INNOVATE BOTH WITH TECHNOLOGY AND PROCESS AND TO SUSTAIN OUR INSTITUTION, SUSTAIN BY USING OUR RESOURCES WIDESLY, BUT ALSO SUSTAIN OUR WORKFORCE.

I HIRED A DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY AND THIS PERSON SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT IS THAT WE NURTURE THE POLLINATORS AND THE BEES AND SO WE HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED A BEE CAMPUS.

>> SO YOU ARE ACTUALLY CREATING FOLIAGE, ET CETERA, FOR THE BEES TO COME OVER AND POLLINATE AND SUPPORT THE BEES.

PEOPLE MERGE THE KINDNESS INITIATIVE WITH THE BEES INTO BEE KIND.

>> I LOVE IT.

WE ARE JUST OUT OF TIME, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYONE KNOWS THIS, BUT IN TERMS OF KEEPING PEOPLE HAPPY, I WORK AT UPSTATE AND ALTHOUGH UPSTATE ISN'T THE UNDERWRITER OF THIS SHOW, ST. JOE'S IS LARGELY, WE GET A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM UPSTATE BY ALLOWING ME, FOR INSTANCE, TO VOLUNTEER MY TIME HERE TO HELP RUN THIS SHOW.

SO I WANT TO THANK ST. JOE'S AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AND IN TERMS OF MY HAVING YOU AS MY BOSS HERE, I WANT TO ASK YOU HOW ABOUT A RAISE?

WHILE I'VE GOT YOU HERE.

LISTEN, THAT'S ALL THE TIME I HAVE.

I WANT TO THANK OUR GUESTS... DR. GREG EASTWOOD: EMERITUS PROFESSOR AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF SUNY UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY DR. BOB CORONA: CEO OF UPSTATE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF OUR PROGRAM OR WATCH OUR WEB SERIES CHECKUP FROM OUR NECK UP, VISIT OUR WEBSITE, WCNY.ORG/CYCLEOFHEALTH.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE FROM DR. EASTWOOD, CHECK OUT MY NEW RADIO SHOW -- CHECK UP FROM THE NECK UP, YOU CAN FIND IT AT WCNY.ORG/COMMUNITYFM.

FOR CYCLE OF HEALTH, I'M PSYCHOLOGIST DR. RICH O'NEILL.

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN.

NEXT WEEK ON "CYCLE OF HEALTH..." >> TONIGHT'S TOPIC AGING TOGETHER IN NEW YORK.

TONIGHT WE ARE MEETING WITH FOUR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO DISCUSS HOW OLDER ADULTS CAN LIVE FULFILLING, HEALTHY AND CONNECTED LIVES.

>> WE ARE SOCIAL ANIMALS.

WE FEED THE SUPPORT AND THE INTERACTION WITH OTHERS TO MAKE US BE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY HEALTHY.