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

Two key episodes in his life brought Robert Dahl, MBA, FACHE, to his current position as CEO of Broward Health Imperial Point. The first decision point occurred upon graduating from undergrad searching for his first employer, and discerning which industry to pursue. He was considering a career in choosing between work in computer sciences or healthcare. Dahl tried the computer industry first for a while, but quickly pivoted to healthcare. He built relationships, made the most of opportunities that presented, worked hard, and climbed his way up the ranks within hospital administration.

The second life event occurred when Dahl, who is originally from the Chicago area, worked with his partners and sold a national perioperative and anesthesia consulting firm to a company in Sunrise, Fla. “I consulted in some of the Florida markets, and in particular at Memorial Regional with the team. We had a very successful consulting engagement and that got me exposed to Southern Florida.” He said he and his wife Michelle spent a lot of wintertime in Southern Florida, the Keys, and the Caribbean, and really enjoy this part of the country. What’s not to love, right?

Dahl joined Broward Health in December of last year as the CEO of Imperial Point Hospital and is also responsible for and contributes to the system’s perioperative and anesthesia services. As he explained in more detail, “Being the CEO of a hospital means I’m in charge of and ensuring for the quality, safety, growth, revenues, and strategic planning for the hospital campus in conjunction with how it integrates within the health system.” He discussed what he likes best about his work, saying: “I’ve always had a servant leader mentality. I consider myself to be a strong operator, and I love improving operational efficiencies, putting all aspects of the care continuum together to improve the patient experience and quality outcomes for patients.”

He said he wants Broward Health Imperial Point to be the hospital of choice for patients, the employer of choice for healthcare workers, and to be the safest hospital with the best clinical outcomes within Southern Florida. “I’ve been fortunate to have success in my career building strong teams geared toward those particular outcomes.”

Dahl said that while working at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Ill., the opportunity arose to join the Chicago chapter of ACHE, the American College of Healthcare Executives. “I had the pleasure of working with a lot of very strong leaders in my career, and they strongly encouraged me to get involved.” He then became a fellow in 2017, saying he looks at it as “a way of showcasing my dedication to my craft as a healthcare operator and leader.”

Dahl considers that earning the distinction of fellow signifies a level of expertise, commitment, and achievement within the profession of health administration, and differentiates one as a competent leader who strives to make a difference in the health of communities.

Speaking about ACHE, Dahl said he believes the benefits vary depending on circumstances: the organization can be particularly helpful for those early in their careers because it offers incredible access to a network of professionals, and for established professionals, it provides numerous education opportunities that help support leaders.

Dahl added that the networking is what he finds to have the most impact. “No one has all the answers, so it’s nice to have a network of people you can reach out to when in need. We have many hospitals in Broward County, and we can all learn from each other through the South Florida Chapter, as well as nationally through ACHE.”

Giving back is also extremely important to Dahl. “I’ve been involved in the ACHE mentorship program with mentees or proteges throughout the country, and try to guide them in the right direction in how they can improve their careers. Nothing gives greater pleasure than seeing people self-actualize and attain their career goals.”

Dahl was actively involved in the Chicago chapter, Chicago Health Executive Forum, of ACHE and has had limited exposure to the South Chapter to date. “I’m looking forward to being an active member here in South Florida and appreciate those that have already reached out and welcomed me to the community.”