By Lois Thomson, South Florida Hospital News, for ACHE of South Florida

Mindy Shikiar was a Vice President at Boca Raton Regional Hospital when she was first introduced to Caldwell Butler (CB) and encountered the firm’s structured approach to operational performance improvement. Impressed by the methodology and its impact on Boca Regional’s organizational results, Shikiar later joined CB, where she has now worked for the past four years.

Caldwell Butler is a boutique healthcare consulting firm specializing in performance excellence, operational throughput, and leadership development. One of its hallmark methodologies is the “100-Day Workout,” a highly structured leadership accountability system designed to accelerate rapid-cycle performance improvement within hospitals and health systems.

During the 100-Day Workout, CB’s primary objective is to rapidly improve an organization’s operational and financial performance, drawing heavily on priorities identified by the executive leadership team. According to Shikiar, the model is intentionally structured, action-oriented, and designed to engage middle management – the group most responsible for daily operations and frontline decision-making.

Shikiar emphasizes that the power of the 100-Day Workout lies in its disciplined cadence and accountability structure. “It’s a matter of taking the time and making it a priority every month to make two changes,” she explained. By the end of the cycle, each leader will have implemented approximately eight targeted improvements.

According to Shikiar, these improvements can generate substantial financial impact, frequently 3 percent to 5 percent improvement in 12 months of their total operating expenses – a meaningful achievement in an industry where margins are often razor-thin. The model also helps cultivate a culture of continuous improvement.

Shikiar explained that the CB team is composed almost entirely of seasoned former senior executives – CEOs, COOs, CFOs, and other C-suite leaders – many of whom spent two or three decades working in hospitals and health systems before moving into consulting.

“That’s why when we work with other organizations, we’ve been there – we’ve seen all the issues,” she noted. This background allows the CB consultants to understand the real-world challenges facing hospital leaders.

Shikiar spent nearly 20 years at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, an experience she describes as foundational to her leadership philosophy and the work she does today. Her tenure there as a Vice President, and later Chief Operating Officer, included participating in a major organizational turnaround and helping prepare the hospital for its integration into the Baptist Health South Florida system.

“My time at Boca Regional shaped a lot of the things I’m doing today,” she reflected, noting that the complexity of the turnaround, combined with the growth and strategic repositioning of the hospital, offered invaluable hands-on leadership experience. Among her many contributions, she is especially proud of her role in developing several Centers of Excellence, where she had the opportunity to combine operational leadership with strategic program development.

One of the most meaningful initiatives was the creation of the Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health and Wellness Institute. Shikiar shared that this project holds a special place in her career because the institute was truly “developed for women, by women.” The construction team was led by a woman; the architectural lead was a woman; Dr. Kathy Schilling, Medical Director, created the vision; and Shikiar served as the administrative project lead. None of this would have been possible without Christine Lynn’s generosity and the philanthropic support in the community – the results speak for themselves.

The institute has since become a success story for the organization. “That building is thriving today and has already exceeded capacity,” she noted, underscoring how the vision behind the project aligned with a genuine community need.

Shikiar has been a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) since 2014, during her time at Boca Regional, and she earned her FACHE credential two years ago. She noted that the credential is something she is proud to hold and actively encourages others to pursue – whether by earning the FACHE or simply joining ACHE. “No matter what stage of your career you’re in, ACHE offers tremendous value,” she explained. “If you’re new to management, it exposes you to experienced leaders and opens doors to opportunities. And for those later in their careers, it’s the best way to stay engaged and on the cutting edge of what’s happening in healthcare.”