Season 8 • Episode 98

Keynote: Billion-Dollar Mergers and Cutting Turnover in Half with Theresa McDonnell

Jul 24, 2025

29:26

Episode Description

July 24, 2025: Theresa McDonnell, Chief Nursing Executive and SVP at Duke University Health System, discusses how she maintains her clinical practice while leading strategic transformation across a billion-dollar organization. What specific changes helped Duke reduce nurse turnover from 21% to 11%? Theresa discusses her role in orchestrating the complex $1.7 billion merger that created the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and shares how Duke's innovation hackathons have engaged over 10,000 frontline staff. As healthcare faces mounting workforce shortages and an aging population, what role should AI play in enhancing rather than replacing human care? The conversation explores practical approaches to empowering healthcare workers and how the future of care is centered on preventing sickness rather than just treating illness. Key Points:

05:03 Nurse-Led Innovation at Duke
11:03 Strategic Transformation and Mergers
19:04 Balancing Patient Care and Innovation
24:22 Advice for Early Career Clinicians
27:08 Speed Round and Closing Remarks

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