Name of organization: The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts; address of organization: 446 Main St., Worcester; website: www.hfcm.org
Frank Saba
Occupation: chairman of the Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts; former CEO of Milford Regional Medical Center (retired)
Residence: Shrewsbury
Hobbies: reading - particularly historical fiction and nonfiction; learning how to play the piano; sports - hoping to umpire baseball games at some point
What does your organization do?
It's charged with trying to improve the health of people who live and work in central Massachusetts, with an emphasis on vulnerable populations.
How did you end up in this line of work?
A few years back, the president and CEO of the foundation contacted me in Milford, when I was CEO (of Milford Regional). I talked to the foundation about the Edward Kennedy Community Health Center, which was looking to open an office in Milford. I got to know the CEO quite well, and learned about the foundation and what it did - that was the beginning of my involvement.
What are a couple of memories from your career that stick with you the most?
I was very fortunate to have a nice, long run with the Milford Regional Medical Center.
Some of the things I'm most proud of include building the cancer center, working with UMass to bring a program here and setting up a company of physician practices. I'm fortunate to have wonderful support from my family.
What do you like most and least about your work?
What I like best about working in health care is understanding and helping patients and their families. People need help and it's nice to feel - even though I more of an administrator and not a clinician - that I was helping them in some way.
The difficult side of the job is in making sure your employees are well-supported.There are also difficulties with reimbursement - where there are always issues - and the fact that there are a lot of regulations, which can be confusing.
What makes your job unusual?
Health care is ever-changing. There are lots of federal policies and regulations, and those change with different administrations. The payment system is very different from other businesses - you're never really paid what you charge, (as) there are all kinds of different arrangements made.
What advice would you have for someone starting out in your field?
You certainly need to understand that what you're doing in the field is helping people. Remember to be compassionate.
Learn the business - it's complicated. Get the necessary training and education.
Support your staff and work as a team. Don't lose sight of anyone in your organization - understand that everyone needs to be pulling together.