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Omar Borges was reunited with his wife and children after his release from Beth Israel hospital after contracting COVID on April 24, 2020.Barry Chin\/Globe Staff<\/p>\nThe role has evolved a lot since you came into it, given the expansions and changes to the organization. Is that what has kept you there for so long?<\/p>\n
When I came, we were a wonderful hospital \u2014 [Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center] and [Beth Israel Deaconess-Needham]. That was one role. And as we grew to what was the BID system, that was another role. And as we formed the Beth Israel Lahey Health system seven years ago, that was another role. I think you\u2019re on to something. It\u2019s been multiple roles over several years. That\u2019s part of the joys of doing this. <\/p>\n
I believe it\u2019s time for someone new to come and to be here for the next 10 to 15 years. And to take up that mantle and think about the coming challenges \u2026 someone who will be here again for a long period of time. <\/p>\n
How do you think back on your tenure? There\u2019s been a lot \u2014 bruising regulatory battles to merge Beth Israel and Lahey Health, the regulatory process of the deal with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. That\u2019s on top of the challenging work of just running a health system. <\/p>\n
I\u2019m still reflecting back on the last decade and a half. I\u2019ve loved a lot of it. Not everything. But I\u2019ve loved a lot of it. I keep coming back to the word \u201cprivileged.\u201d <\/p>\n
When I think about the things that were hard \u2014 I don\u2019t know that they were harder for me. I think about the pandemic, and how hard it was for all the caregivers. And I think about things like the Boston Marathon bombing, when tens of wounded appeared all at once. It puts it into perspective when I think about what\u2019s hard and what\u2019s not. The regulatory stuff, the economic environment \u2014 that\u2019s the job. But I remind myself of both what\u2019s hard for the people who work here and our patients, and also why I\u2019m doing it. I don\u2019t let the other things get me down. <\/p>\n
Omar Borges was reunited with his wife and children after his release from Beth Israel hospital after contracting COVID on April 24, 2020.Barry Chin\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n
What would you say has been the most challenging?<\/p>\n
I think back to the early days of the pandemic, when we didn\u2019t know what was going to happen. I remember being worried about not having enough ventilators. I remember feeling horrible [and] worried we were going to run out of PPE. And we didn\u2019t, thankfully. Those were the things that were the hardest. I want to be clear \u2014 I think they were harder for the people taking care of patients every day. But I felt a lot of that responsibility. <\/p>\n
What are you most proud of?<\/p>\n
I\u2019m incredibly proud of the culture we built. I think we have a unique, wonderful culture here that is not something to be taken for granted. Particularly when you create a new organization \u2014 we brought together all these legacy organizations, many of whom had histories of more than 150 years \u2014 proud and independent. It\u2019s a difficult thing to do, for legacy organizations to come into a new system and maintain the thing they are proud of, but also to develop a unified, uniform culture. I\u2019m proud of the way people came together to do that.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not about how big we are, or any of that stuff. It\u2019s about the culture. And I do think size is important in that it means we can serve more people. I\u2019m proud of that, too. I\u2019m proud of the fact that we forged our own path as an organization and said things like, \u2018Primary care will be really important here.\u2019 We will deliver complex care, but we will do it also in the community. And we will actually change it in a way that\u2019s measured. <\/p>\n
And here we are, seven years to the week (of the Beth Israel Lahey Health merger). <\/p>\n
Wow. Congrats on the anniversary. I feel as though I should have gotten you a card. What timing with this announcement.<\/p>\n
One of the things I wrote about in [my email to staff announcing this change] is \u2014 in my Jewish tradition, every seventh year has a meaning. Shmita \u2014 like a sabbatical of rest and renewal. It feels really fitting to me in a way that BILH is marking its seventh year just at the time I\u2019m bringing my tenure to a close. <\/p>\n
For lots of reasons, it\u2019s the right time. And I\u2019m proud of our people and this organization. <\/p>\n
Given the time you\u2019ve spent as a leader, what is the advice you\u2019d give to other health system and hospital leaders in this time? <\/p>\n
Figure out what is important. Figure out those things that really matter. And then drive everything to that goal. All of the other things that contribute to getting there \u2014 whether that\u2019s financial stability or size or anything, those are only means to an end. I think we sometimes forget that. And don\u2019t forget what is most important and why we are here \u2014 to serve our missions. To take care of people and to generate new knowledge and to educate the next generation of caregivers. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy, in the fray, to forget the why we\u2019re here and doing this and focus on the mechanics. The mechanics are important. But the mechanics are only a means to an end. That\u2019s the most important piece of advice I would give. And focus is almost more important than anything else. It\u2019s too easy to get distracted, to chase after the latest problem or idea or whatever it may be. Focus \u2014 figure out what is important and focus on that. The rest will work itself out. <\/p>\n
![\"Dr.](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TXGMSAH554I6NOL6RWOFLIQUBU.jpg\")
Dr. Kevin Tabb posed for a portrait on Feb. 13, 2017, in Boston.Suzanne Kreiter\/Globe staff<\/p>\n
You leave the organization as health systems are preparing for massive amounts of change and challenges in the years ahead. There\u2019s also still a lot of unfinished work, particularly with plans to build a new cancer hospital with Dana-Farber. Why now? What happens with the Dana-Farber deal in your absence, for instance?<\/p>\n
I think [the Dana-Farber project is] just one example. The way we structure the relationship with Dana-Farber together is we are in a relationship for the next 60 years. And it\u2019s not dependent on who the leaders will be … we\u2019re inextricably linked for the next 60 years at least. That was deliberate on the part of [former Dana-Farber Cancer Institute CEO] Laurie Glimcher and myself. Knowing neither of us would be here for those 60 years. <\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been asked, \u2018But wait, there will be a new hospital. Don\u2019t you want to stay until the hospital is built and open?\u2019 There is an old adage about the most important part of the building is the foundation. And I feel like we put the foundation in place. The building itself will happen, the opening will happen. But we have this strong foundation. <\/p>\n
All the other issues that we talk about frequently \u2014 the changing reimbursement model and difficulties in health care \u2014 they are there and not going away. It\u2019s the perfect time for someone to come and be here the next 15 years to come work on those things. <\/p>\n
To reiterate, I\u2019m here in this role for the next year. Not half in the role.<\/p>\n
Not lame duck?<\/p>\n
Not lame duck at all. I don\u2019t feel that way. There\u2019s a lot of work to do. I come out of this decision even more energized. And I fully intend to be here working on this stuff until the day my successor gets here. <\/p>\n
Jessica Bartlett can be reached at jessica.bartlett@globe.com<\/a>. Follow her @ByJessBartlett<\/a>.<\/p>\n