Health Care Executive Making His Mark With Mentoring

CBS4 and the Denver Business Journal are teaming up to profile companies that are "Making Their Mark" in Colorado communities.

DENVER (CBS4) - The head of a Denver hospital believes true leadership begins with mentoring. CBS4's Gloria Neal sat down with Patrick Green to see how he's making his mark.

"When I first started in my career, my mentor, I asked him, 'What can I do to repay you?' Because he opened that door for me. And he said, 'Patrick, when you become a leader in this health care field ,or whatever field you decide to go in, make sure you open up the doors and take the time to talk to young people, just as I've done with you,' " Green said.

Green is the chief operating officer for St. Anthony Hospital. He believes good business is giving back, and giving back is part of making your mark.

"I make it a point as to find an opportunity within the community and find out where the youth are lacking. Because I do believe it's part of my role as a successful individual to help others lead more productive lives," Green said.

His role is bigger than getting all caught up in some big health care executive title.

"You have to enjoy helping people, and part of my role into getting into health care was just that. We are here, again, to improve the health of the communities in which we serve."

Still, he admits the health care industry does a lousy job of telling their story.

"A lot of the times in the headlines you hear about cost and increasing level of mistakes and medical errors, but for us, we always put the patient first. Doing the right thing is always paramount."

As the chief operating officer his day can start as early as 3 a.m. where he'll spend time talking with doctors and nurses ensuring they have what they need, so that patients get what they need.

"We are not going just to wait until people get sick before we help them. We want to move further up the stream where we can help people stay healthy."

As for making his mark in the community, that's modeled at home with his wife and their 1-year-old son Peyton.

"We make sure that the fast food stops are far in between, and if I am healthy and I am happy, not just from a physical perspective, but the way I interact with my friends, the way I approach my job as a health care executive, that can be an example for him."

Read more on the website of CBS4 partner the Denver Business Journal.