Peter Slavin discusses the key priorities he has in mind as he takes the helm of the Los Angeles-based health care system.

Cedars-Sinai will have a new leader for the first time in three decades, but for incoming CEO Peter Slavin, solving the biggest problem in healthcare remains a priority.

When Slavin becomes the next president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Health System on Oct. 1, he aims to improve the workplace for clinical staff through technology solutions and a people-first approach.

“The workforce was obviously traumatized during the pandemic and is slowly recovering,” Slavin told HealthLeaders. “How do you make the work environment as positive and enjoyable as possible? That’s really a key focus for me, as well as the fundamental economics of the organization.”

Slavin will replace longtime leader Thomas Priselac, who is retiring after 45 years at Cedars-Sinai, including 30 as president and CEO. Most recently, Slavin served as a consultant and board member for several healthcare companies and before that served as president of Massachusetts General Hospital from 2003 to 2021.

During his time in Boston, Slavin “successfully led major growth in the hospital’s clinical care mission, research funding, scientific impact, staff development and fundraising,” after to the press release announcing his appointment.

In addition, he witnessed the impact of the pandemic on doctors, nurses and other staff and saw the staff challenges that hospitals and health systems continue to grapple with become even more acute.

Pictured: Peter Slavin, next president and CEO, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Health System.

According to Slavin, reducing the administrative burden on employees is crucial, especially as younger generations place more value on work-life balance. Addressing this issue requires a multi-pronged approach that leverages technology and considers solutions such as flexible and virtual working.

“One of the traumas that healthcare workers face is simply the trauma that comes from spending too much time in front of the computer and not enough time with patients,” Slavin said. “Regenerative AI and other aspects of artificial intelligence offer incredible opportunities to shift that balance between time in front of the computer and time with patients and make it much more favorable from the clinician’s perspective.”

“But I want to stress that I don’t think technology is the only answer to the problem. I think there are a number of other things that need to happen. It’s just about management paying close attention to the needs and voices of the workforce and making sure that we are as mindful as ever of making the work environment as positive as possible.”

Strengthening staff could also help hospitals restore public trust, Slavin acknowledged. Research A study published in JAMA Network Open found that trust in doctors and hospitals increased from 71.5% in April 2020 to 40.1% in January 2024.

“It is disheartening that we have gone from heroes to scapegoats in such a short time,” Slavin said.

An exhausted and overworked workforce had its hands full with capacity constraints during the pandemic, leaving the public doubting the effectiveness of providers.

But Slavin says alleviating staff shortages isn’t the only way to win back patients. As demand for a retail experience continues to rise, traditional providers need to make patient care as user-friendly as possible.

He said: “I just think it is the duty of healthcare organizations to use digital technologies and customer service training to make the user experience as positive and good as possible when people go to restaurants or hotels or engage in other activities in their lives.”