Building Trust and Improving Patient Outcomes Through Resilience and Transparency

Event Schedule by Time Zone: 
Pacific: 10 AM to 11 AM | Mountain: 11 AM to 12 PM | Central: 12 PM to 1 PM | Eastern: 1 PM to 2 PM

Trust is foundational for safe, reliable healthcare delivery. During disruption, how an organization prepares, responds, and communicates can either reinforce confidence or erode it. Resilience and transparency are no longer operational nice-to-haves; they are essential to protecting patients, ensuring internal buy-in and sustaining trust.  

In this panel discussion, leaders from Carilion Clinic and Riskonnect will explore the connection between risk and resilience. How coordinated resilience planning and clear, transparent communication strengthen employee and patient trust before, during, and after disruption. Drawing on real-world experience, the team will share how proactive mitigation alongside technology help anticipate risk, align stakeholders, communicate effectively under pressure, and support improved patient outcomes through integrated resilience efforts.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand how organizational resilience influences patient safety, internal engagement, and care reliability.  
2. Identify resilience practices that reduce operational risk.
3. Apply shared learning and response strategies that build and sustain trust before, during, and after a disruption.
4. Recognize opportunities to integrate resilience, transparency, and patient safety into day-to-day operations.

Speakers:

Brad Henske (Certified Healthcare Provider Continuity Professional) has more than 25 years of experience as a Business Continuity & Resilience leader, and has directed the Program for Carilion Clinic since 2020. Brad publishes thought leadership articles on BC&R topics and serves as a conference speaker for the Disaster Recovery Journal and The Business Continuity Institute. He holds the continuity professional certifications CHPCP, CBCP, MBCI, and CIPR. Brad is also workshop certified in FEMA-NIMS, ICS, ERP, ASE, Active Aggressor, Crisis Management, and Pandemic Planning.

Stephen W. Lovern, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, is Vice President for the Department of Surgery and Anesthesia at Carilion Clinic, where he provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for surgical and perioperative services across the health system. A nurse for more than 25 years, he brings deep clinical insight and enterprise-level leadership to complex healthcare environments.

Beginning his career as a licensed practical nurse, Stephen has spent the past two decades advancing through progressive leadership roles. He earned his Doctor of Nursing Practice from James Madison University in 2017. Passionate about transforming healthcare, he focuses on strengthening collaboration, driving operational excellence, and empowering clinical teams to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care at scale.

Sarah Parker, PhD, has over 10 years of experience applying human factors and I/O psychology to healthcare. She holds a BA from Wittenberg University, an MA from George Mason University, and a PhD from the University of Aberdeen, where she developed the Surgeons' Leadership Inventory. She previously worked at Mayo Clinic and completed a Kirschstein Postdoctoral Fellowship focused on trauma team coordination. Her research, funded by RWJF and AHRQ, has yielded 50+ peer-reviewed publications. She has presented at numerous international conferences. Sarah and her husband Michael are proud parents to Layla, Jack, and Miles.

Sherry Dillon is Vice President of Product Management at Riskonnect, leading the strategic direction for the company's GRC, ESG, Healthcare, and ARM solutions. With 30 years of healthcare leadership experience, she has driven improvements in quality, patient safety, and risk management at hospital and system levels. She has also served as Chief Product Officer and Privacy Officer for healthcare SaaS companies. Her true passion is enterprise risk management, leveraging data and technology to enhance prevention. Sherry holds an RN from Rogers State University and previously maintained the CPHRM certification for over nine years.

Julie Childs is the Product Marketing Manager for Riskonnect's Business Continuity & Resilience solution. With over six years of experience in the Resilience space, she specializes in analyzing market trends, customer feedback, and industry thought leadership to inform strategic decisions. Her passion for resilience and innovation elevates Riskonnect’s presence in the market and supports organizations in building more adaptive and prepared operations.

Member: Free
Non-Member: Free