BPI Best Practice CEO Award winner Donovan Blackburn credits the success of Pikeville Medical Center not to top-down directives, but to a fundamental shift in workplace culture. By moving away from a traditional leadership pyramid, he empowered employees and transformed the organization’s performance.
From Retail Leadership to Healthcare CEO
Donovan Blackburn, a 2020 recipient of the BPI Best Practice CEO Award, was new to the healthcare industry when he joined Pikeville Medical Center. With a background in retail leadership and 14 years as a City Manager, he was originally hired as Assistant CEO with a two-year transition plan. However, unforeseen circumstances led to him taking over as CEO just seven months into his tenure.
Dismantling the Pyramid for a Collaborative Model
Drawing on his previous leadership experience, Blackburn’s first priority was to change the hospital’s leadership structure. He dismantled the existing pyramid to establish a collaborative model that encouraged open idea-sharing and faster decision-making.
“It’s about all of us together, righting the ship and creating a great product,” Blackburn said. “You use your strengths, you build your strengths, you give them the education, and they will come forward with the ideas.”
His strategy focused on several key areas:
- Employee Empowerment: He sought to create a culture where employees felt heard and valued as part of the solution.
- Investment in People: He prioritized employee training and enhanced communications.
- Shared Vision: A marketing firm helped create a new slogan for the hospital that reflected the new culture: “Together, we rise.”
"My job was to simply start a conversation, hear their voices and let our staff shine," Blackburn states.
The Results of Collaboration
This shift in culture yielded significant results in just three years. Under Blackburn's leadership, the hospital has:
- Moved from a financial deficit to profitability.
- Grown its staff by nearly 300 new members while other regional hospitals were cutting staff.
- Expanded services, opening eastern Kentucky’s only children’s hospital and an associated autism center.
- Secured over $17 million through a new grant foundation to improve its cardiovascular and cancer centers.
This empowered culture also proved resilient. The leadership team successfully navigated the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and felt prepared for any future surges.
“If or when a surge happens, our staff will be there,” Blackburn said. “As always, they’re stepping up with confidence. They know they are valued and empowered to do what their training has taught them.”