Ms. Cassai, HSS’ executive vice president and chief operating officer, joined the “Becker’s Healthcare Podcast” to discuss her top achievements in 2024 and how she’s growing as a leader.
Note: This is an edited excerpt. Listen to the full conversation here.
Question: What are the organizational goals you’re setting for 2025?
Mary Cassai: As I look back on 2024 it’s really amazing to think about where we’ve been and, more importantly, where we’re heading. With our rich history behind us, we’re poised to enter a new era, one that really challenges us to evolve, grow and innovate while staying true to our core values and mission that make HSS really such a unique and special place this year.
2024 has certainly had many significant milestones. Among the many recognitions we receive annually in recognition of this commitment has been the designation from Newsweek that we are the best hospital in the world for orthopedics for the fifth consecutive year. This really continues to be a particular point of pride, and it’s really this accomplishment that further reflects our unwavering commitment to patient care and the real advancing field of musculoskeletal health.
Another area of focus for me is research and innovation. HSS has newly appointed leaders, including our inaugural chief research officer and our chief information officer and the ongoing development of data tools. We really aim to advance a revitalized forum for groundbreaking research and clinical advancements. This year we marked notable achievements, including the first single, blind, randomized pilot clinical trial that was led by HSS in the promising field of regenerative medicine and additionally novel monoclonal antibiotic antibody targeting inflammation that was based on HSS research successfully secured $70 million in series A financing. This news follows the recent approval of the drug for the first in human phase one clinical trial in Europe.
As the COO performance is a key area that myself and my team are really renewing across the organization as we continue to commit to constant improvement, a culture shift that really extends beyond metrics. By critically evaluating our efforts and holding ourselves accountable, we look to ensure that every initiative propels us closer to our goals. One of the standing areas of success in this domain has been the implementation of our workday technology platform, which has already made marked improvements in our operational efficiency and really in the employee experience.
There’s so many more areas and strategic accomplishments that I’m personally proud of from our commitment to employee wellness with the development of an on site Employee Wellness Center to the transformation of our main Upper East Side campus with a new patient care tower scheduled to open in 2026. Our team has had a very busy year, and for 2025 we look, we really look at that momentum and really want to continue to build upon that momentum as we’re setting goals for 2025.
Q: How are you evolving as a leader?
MC: I think that’s always a work in progress, but as I evolve in this leadership role, I am increasingly focused on balancing operational efficiency with really forward looking innovation. I remain deeply respectful of the rich history and unique culture that really makes HSS exceptional in healthcare, driving performance improvements and embracing new technologies are mission critical. But so is understanding and preserving the core values and the practices that have built trust with our patients, our staff and our community over time. I’m continuing to learn to really ask better questions, to challenge the status quo, while really staying rooted in what has proven to be successful and looking forward. I’m really focused on fostering a culture where innovation and tradition can coexist, where we honor our past successes while empowering our teams to explore new, transformative approaches to care. I believe that by aligning operational agility with the timeless mission of compassionate, patient centered service I aim to lead in a way that respects our heritage while building a sustainable and forward thinking future.