Going to the doctor isn’t always fun. There are forms to fill out, approvals to wait for, and often long hours spent in dull waiting rooms. But John Fernandez, the CEO and president of Brown University Health formerly Lifespan, wants to change all that. His goal is to make visiting the doctor a more pleasant and memorable experience—something he calls a wow moment.
“It should feel like walking into a Ritz-Carlton, Fernandez said. Imagine stepping into a place that really impresses you. That’s what I want people to feel after seeing our doctors, nurses, or even visiting our emergency rooms. It’s not easy in health care, but that’s the aim.
Fernandez is in charge of the largest employer and health care provider in Rhode Island. Brown University Health runs five hospitals, along with primary care and specialty clinics, serving over 550,000 people each year. The organization is currently going through big changes: rebranding itself and taking over two hospitals in Massachusetts.
While Fernandez sees these as separate milestones, he admits they represent a significant turning point for the company.
“It’s a sign that we need to improve and do things differently,” he explained.
The Future of Health Care in Rhode Island
This is also a crucial moment for health care in Rhode Island. The system is in a financial crisis, according to Fernandez. Most patients in the state’s hospitals rely on Medicaid or Medicare, which pay lower rates than private insurance. Hospitals can no longer depend on private insurers to make up the difference.
That approach just isn’t sustainable, he said.
Still, Fernandez sees this crisis as a chance for change. He’s encouraged by initiatives like the Rhode Island Life Science Hub and remains hopeful that progress is possible.
People created these systems—they aren’t set in stone, Fernandez said. They can be changed. What we need is the willingness and political determination to make it happen.