Laurie McGraw is speaking with Inspiring Woman Nadine Hauf.
In this 2024 WBL (Women Business Leaders) Series, Nadine begins our conversation with a view into how she developed an innovative technology hub for health plan members. A place where people can come into the care system and understand what is available to them. She built this hub at a time when there was no playbook to look to, so innovation began with an idea and a blank piece of paper. This is where working collaboratively with her team was imperative.
Over the years Nadine has pushed herself into areas where she had both energy and opportunity to move up the ladder. Relationships are important to her as is building her tribe. When she wants to pursue something, she relies on them for advice and encouragement. Even when she is headed into an important meeting or presentation, a quick call or check in from the network can give her that extra boost. WBL has become a very important part of that tribe for Nadine.
On staying sharp, Nadine relies on nutrition and fitness as key parts of her daily routine. And she is always cultivating her mentor and mentee relationships. These have been critical to her own success, and she is now very committed to paying it forward.
Guest Bio:
Nadine Hauf, leads an integrated and synchronized concierge experience dedicated, personalized and focused only for National Account clients. Nadine supports our underlying deliverable focus on trend management each day and is accountable for commitments made to National Account Clients.
Primary Responsibilities:
– Serves as an operational leader for advocacy and clinical teams supporting National Account Clients with overall accountability to include the staffing, coordination, and leadership of the integrated call, clinical, and behavioral health teams of top talent.
– Leads a team of Lead Operations Directors supporting the front line advocates and clinicians providing concierge service to the Premier members in a solution that removes the heavy lifting from the member, while focusing on overall medical trend reduction and increasing member satisfaction.
– Partners with the account management teams to ideate and disseminate new solutions and best practices from across the enterprise, using a sound working knowledge of multiple functions (e.g. clinical, network, member incentive structures, provider strategies, fraud/abuse, contractual issues)
– Analyzes and interprets client data and reports, health assessment data, and other relevant population statistics in order to make recommendations for client strategy, programmatic interventions, benefit design, or to communicate the performance of clinical and other client programs.
[00:00:00] You know, I give the credit to my team. I give the credit to those around me. And you know, I call it building a very strong tribe.
[00:00:08] You know, especially as what we see here at the summit. Strong tribe of women leaders who have such knowledge and experience that you can glean from continue to, you know, listen and learn and take that back so that you can utilize that within your own area.
[00:00:32] This is Inspiring Women and I'm talking to Nadine Hoff and she is the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Premier and she is going to talk to us a lot about Innovation at United Health Group, an enormous organization that you cannot possibly penetrate unless you know Nadine. So Nadine, thank you for being on Inspiring Women.
[00:00:53] I'm pleased to be here. Thanks for inviting me.
[00:00:55] Okay, well let's get started because if I look at your sort of like, you know, career history, we're talking about Aetna and Optum Health and United. We're talking about Medicaid, specialty focus and now we're talking about Apple. Now we're talking about innovation.
[00:01:10] So what's the through line of all of these different things that you've worked on over the years?
[00:01:15] I would say I've always been in operations. So that is my area of expertise. The thing that excites me and the area that I have sort of been invigorated with is innovation, specifically with what I'm working on now. Health Hub for Apple and now kind of parachuting that into what we call Premier Advocacy.
[00:01:39] That is where we have grown this one client into now 21 clients, 1.4 million members where we have developed this concierge program simplifying the healthcare space for the employer and their employees members.
[00:01:57] Okay, so the client is Apple interns?
[00:01:59] Yes.
[00:02:00] Okay, so all right. Let's just back it up a little bit because so innovation is such a big word and Apple innovation all day long. We can think about that. That makes sense. But in the world of healthcare, when I think about innovation, it's always small companies. It's always new digital startups that are out there.
[00:02:22] So how does it work? How do you take an enormous customer like Apple and enormous organization like United Health Group, bring them together and then get to the level of innovation because I'm sure all these companies you can't possibly keep track.
[00:02:38] That's right. And so we have the fortunate space to be able to partner with Apple as our first client in this area and be able to develop what was called is still called the Health Hub for Apple.
[00:02:50] And it's where we developed a concierge approach for their employees and family members. And what is designed to do is remove the heavy lifting in healthcare from them. We have advocates and clinical nurses who are able to support their healthcare navigation.
[00:03:11] For example, you know, we trainer advocates 18 to 33 weeks, which is an incredibly long time. Yes. To be able to address any of their needs, whether it's member services, pharmacy behavioral financial, but also detect where they can reach out to their clinical partners for developing a care plan.
[00:03:35] And that's all within one team. So we deployed that in 2018 since then, as I mentioned, we developed we have then expanded to 21 clients. So it's simplifying the healthcare space, removing the heavy lifting from the member and doing things like scheduling their provider appointments, taking care of their claims, concerns, all the things that we experience working in healthcare.
[00:04:05] But simplifying it, taking the burden off of them. And really what the design is, is to have them just focus on their role, their job. We take the navigation for them and support all of their navigation.
[00:04:22] So if I'm a patient, so my employer has United Health as my insurer. So am I accessing this system? Am I calling one number with a real person that I can speak to and not a phone tree and not like go crazy on like somebody or chat bot that doesn't understand me?
[00:04:43] Well, so a couple things. Yes, the answer is yes. Nirvana.
[00:04:48] Once one toll free number on the back of their ID card that they call, they can have everything answered and supported. So they don't have to call 15 different places to get things done. Yeah, we do it all within that one number. Or like Apple, they don't want to pick up the phone and call, right?
[00:05:06] They're technically savvy. So sometimes they want to chat us, sometimes they want to email us. So we're meeting the member where they are in their space. And so we also innovate around the client. And we incorporate their culture within the team. We can have a dedicated team.
[00:05:27] Apple has a dedicated team. Some of our clients don't necessarily need that specialization. So we have highly designated teams that support them also support some more premier clients as well. So it is really that simple and you know, really continuing to innovate around what the needs are of that client.
[00:05:50] Okay, so I'm chuckling a little bit because Nadine you're talking about it being really simple. But these are enormous organizations. Okay, so the level of probably complexity and you're an operations person that is behind the scenes has to be a lot. So maybe you can just walk us back in terms of like, you know, how did you get to the senior level? So like, you know, what point did you decide or learn that? Wow, I'm really good at this stuff and to be able to do this type of work again at the highest level of these enormous organizations.
[00:06:20] Takes a lot of experience takes a lot of chutzpah. What's your secret sauce? How'd you get there?
[00:06:26] I'd like to say, you know, lots of hard work. But you know, as I've really it's been reinforced in me today talking with a lot of our female partners. You know, it's being in the right space at the right time and having a very strong network of women that has been critical.
[00:06:46] You know, utilizing your network to promote yourself into the right space, utilizing your talents to get yourself where you want to be. So it didn't happen by accident. Yeah, I really pushed myself into areas where I gravitated towards.
[00:07:06] I had strong women leaders, strong, you know, male leaders as well. Sure. But I pushed myself into areas where I felt like I had the energy and the need and you know, when I had the opportunity, you know, after being in Medicaid for some time, I had the opportunity to be able to start up the health hub for Apple.
[00:07:29] And that just had the backing of the organization. This was a new area for us to get into. And, you know, have almost like a carte blanche of, you know, being able to expand the concept, develop the support of the organization to continue to focus on how we do this and build.
[00:07:52] The other part to this is medical trend reduction for our clients. And that's a big focus. So as we developed it, I partnered with one of our senior lead medical directors to look at our daily inpatient cases.
[00:08:10] So as we look at our clients today, we pulled a census of hospital cases and we look at them. We stratify by length of stay. Those are going to tell us the cases that can drive spend in also the area where our clinicians need to get in touch.
[00:08:29] So we look at them, we get in touch with them. We have case managers working with them while they're in the hospital looking at how we can prepare a discharge plan, but also focusing on can we get them out of the hospital sooner? Do they really need to be there? And focusing on medical trend reduction, the value that we can drive for our clients.
[00:08:51] Yeah. So now Nadine, what you're doing, this is new. Okay? And so when you had the opportunity to take on this big responsibility for building out this new Apple Health Hub, okay, there's no playbook for this. There's no sort of like been there, done that. Okay, we just need to sort of like do it but better this time.
[00:09:11] So who do you look to? So you have this responsibility and it's a blank sheet of paper. How do you figure that out? Do you, I mean, what's your process for bringing in the best ideas and then sort of leading in a time where, you know, the road is new and you're paving it?
[00:09:29] Yeah. And the best advice that, you know, I've received and I've learned over my career is it's not a one man show. You depend on your colleagues. You, you know, really work in collaboration with strong leaders within your organization and you partner.
[00:09:52] It's, you know, I don't pretend to be the smartest person in the room and I know I'm not but I surround myself with smart people. Yep. I have smart people on my team who help to continue to build and innovate. And so that's how it happened. We had a team of people who were working to address the concerns of our client who were listening to the consultants and really putting this together.
[00:10:17] And once you put it together, the game changes. So you constantly have to keep up with that. We have competitors now in the marketplace who are trying to do the same thing. So we continue to innovate. How do we get better? We bring in digital concepts. We're trying to really focus on meeting the member in the digital space, continuing to enhance that as we make it easier for members to, you know, develop in that area.
[00:10:47] And so that's the way that we've put in a retail like experience for members to access our, you know, our care.
[00:10:54] One of the things I really appreciate you pointing out. So one of the speakers were here at the WVL Summit together and one of the speakers that was speaking earlier was talking about, you know, when you are developing from a blank sheet of paper, there is no success without team. And as a leader, if you're not bringing that team with you as you're charting uncharted territory, you know, you're not going to be successful at that. So learning as you go in the iteration that you're talking about sounds fantastic.
[00:11:22] So you wrote the playbook on what's new in terms of how to succeed with innovation.
[00:11:27] Yes. And, you know, I give the credit to my team. I give the credit to those around me and, you know, I call it building a very strong tribe.
[00:11:37] Especially as what we see here at the summit, strong tribe of women leaders who have such knowledge and experience that you can glean from continue to listen and learn and take that back so that you can utilize that within your own area.
[00:11:55] So that's one thing I wanted to ask you about because for successful women who are executive leaders like you are, I always want to know, so like how are you keeping yourself sharp? And how are you keeping yourself sort of like invigorated about the work that you do?
[00:12:11] And then I want to ask you like, you know, what WVL means to you, but maybe just like, how do you stay sharp?
[00:12:16] Well, for me, you know, specifically, I stay sharp by focusing on my nutrition, you know, my fitness. That's what puts me together. For example, if I'm meeting with a client, I build in time in the morning.
[00:12:34] You know, I've got to be on my A game. If it's a sales opportunity, I need to stay sharp. I need to be focused. I will start my day with something around fitness and nutrition so that I feel ready physically.
[00:12:46] And I think I would couple that with, you know, relying on some of my strong relationships. Sometimes I'll reach out to those strong relationships before I walk into that client meeting just for a little boost, a little reminder to say, okay, I do have it.
[00:13:03] I am, you know, I am a strong leader. I am all that. Exactly. And I can do it and just propels me into, all right, here we go. I can do this once again.
[00:13:15] And then what about when something happens? And even today, you don't nail it in the way that you want to nail it. How do you deal with that? Does it bother you or...?
[00:13:26] I think naturally it does bother me, but I try not to let that take me down. You know, we hear the term fail fast. We learn from it. So sometimes things don't go your way and you learn from it.
[00:13:40] So, you know, I use that to my advantage. I learn from it. I change it. I spin it. I, you know, think about how I can do it differently. And next time, you know, I utilize that to my advantage.
[00:13:56] But I think we're always our own worst critic. So sometimes when I feel like I've failed, it's really probably not that bad. But I will beat myself up about it and then I need to move on.
[00:14:07] Yeah. Oh my gosh, I just love that, Nadine, because like, I mean, seriously, so many executive level women, they spend too much time as their own worst critic when exactly what you said, focusing on the how to fail fast and learn and move.
[00:14:20] That's just fantastic. Let's just talk about WBL. I mean, we're here at this conference, which is just an exceptional opportunity to meet other WBL members and leaders like yourself.
[00:14:33] So you've been a member for a couple of years. What do you get out of being a member of WBL?
[00:14:38] I can't even express the, you know, what I achieved from being WBL. So first of all, I'm part of the membership committee.
[00:14:47] So I find it a privilege to be able to bring on new members, share with them individually what it means, what you can get out of WBL, the summit, the board program, the relationships, building those strong relationships and networking.
[00:15:03] Honestly is invaluable. I think we've heard that a couple times today, but to experience it and to be able to continue to foster those relationships, that is for me the most critical.
[00:15:17] I love mentoring. I love to be able to give back. And so the more that I get to do that, last night I saw the organic relationship development. I was part of the Navigator program.
[00:15:29] So I had actual four newbies their first time here at the summit and I saw it happening. It was just so amazing.
[00:15:40] I just stepped back and I watched it, you know, as introducing people, pairing them together. And they just sort of naturally just found that synergy.
[00:15:51] It just gives me just that greatest satisfaction of helping people, you know, bridge together and, you know, develop those relationships.
[00:16:02] And it sounds so simple, but I mean, I'm not kidding, Nadine. I mean people can't get to you. Okay?
[00:16:10] I mean, you are a busy executive and so I'm sure your email is full all the time and you're not able to address everything that comes in.
[00:16:18] You have people who monitor whether they can get to you or not so that you are able to take the time and that you get your own personal satisfaction on bringing others with you.
[00:16:30] That's just incredible. That's just really, really incredible.
[00:16:33] I want to close out on this inspiring women conversation with something I'd like to go to again.
[00:16:39] You've built an amazing career. You're an amazing leader. It wasn't easy.
[00:16:44] And there are going to be many women who want to be you and they don't need to necessarily follow in all the same footsteps that you did along the way.
[00:16:54] So if you think about that, what advice might you give to younger women who are aspiring into leadership?
[00:17:02] Maybe advice that worked for you that still might work today or maybe it was something that they don't need to do or learn along the way.
[00:17:09] What might you say?
[00:17:11] I would say first find a strong mentor and continue to utilize that mentor.
[00:17:18] Maybe it takes a couple of times to find the right mentor that works for you.
[00:17:22] Find a mentor that you can reach out to, bounce things off of.
[00:17:27] Maybe you're in a scary moment. You're not sure how to address it.
[00:17:31] Have that be able to have those touch points to connect and have those conversations about why are you fearful?
[00:17:40] What's giving you the anxiety? And just talk through it so that you can build yourself up.
[00:17:47] But I would say again, rely on your tribe of strong women, supportive women that help to build the strength within you and show you how amazing you really are.
[00:18:02] I think so many people have done that for me throughout my career, reminded me how strong I am, that it has propelled me forward.
[00:18:10] I would want to do the same for that next level leader.
[00:18:14] Well, you're obviously already doing that and I really appreciate you sharing that great wisdom.
[00:18:19] This has been an amazing Inspiring Women conversation.
[00:18:22] I've been speaking with Nadine Hoff and Nadine saying thank you so much.
[00:18:26] Thank you. This is great.
[00:18:28] This has been an episode of Inspiring Women with Lori McGraw.
[00:18:31] Please subscribe, rate and review.
[00:18:33] We are produced by Kate Cruz at Executive Podcast Solutions.
[00:18:38] More episodes can be found on inspiringwomen.show.
[00:18:42] I am Lori McGraw and thank you for listening.