During a first-ever virtual leadership assembly necessitated through social distancing, Vanderbilt University Medical Center leaders answered questions about the Medical Center’s response to COVID-19 so far and what the future could hold.

A focus on bolstering and supporting the people who put the “personal” in personalized care is fueling initiatives around Vanderbilt University Medical Center as leaders look to boost connectivity of an expanding workforce that’s taking on more patients in a rapidly changing environment.

The exceptional capabilities that stem from the fusion of research and training with clinical practice is the core of Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s longstanding success and is the philosophy underpinning an era of unprecedented growth and partnerships around the region.

Team building and efficiency are umbrella priorities over the coming year as leaders focus on strengthening patient flow through existing, and newly opening, inpatient and outpatient facilities and bolstering the spirit of culture, top executives said at the August Leadership Assembly.

Patient experience and facilities expansion are the touchstones of the upcoming fiscal year strategy to align Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s growth with financial strength.

Setting the tone for the morning’s presentations, Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s fall Leadership Assembly began with a stirring rendition of the Aretha Franklin classic, “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.,” performed by the Medical Center’s United Voices of Vanderbilt choir.