In conversation: Christine Gee

In Conversation provides a glimpse into the life of an ‘outlier’ — an exceptional person going above and beyond to improve outcomes in their field. We speak with Christine Gee, CEO of Toowong Private Hospital in Brisbane and former President of the Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA). She was recently awarded the 2021 ACHS (Australian Council on Healthcare Standards) Gold Medal, which recognises an individual for improving quality and safety in Australian health services.

Congratulations on the award! What, or who inspired you to get into health care?

Thank you, it is a huge and very treasured honour.

My career in health care started by chance. After finishing high school I got a job at the Redcliffe Hospital as an Internal Reliever in Administration whilst waiting for the university year to start. It was a great job, essentially being the relief person for any of the administration staff who were on leave.

After a month in the job, I knew I would never be able to work anywhere but a hospital… it felt like home and I loved it. So rather than a gap between school and university, it provided the foundation for a career in health care and a change in the choice of university degree! Somewhat of a strange choice given I will admit to having a healthy dose of nosocomephobia.

Tell us about the early days in your career?

The early days at Redcliffe Hospital provided a fantastic opportunity and platform to really get to know all of the fundamentals that go into the operations of a hospital. In the two years I spent as an Internal Reliever I got to experience almost every administrative role there was, from switchboard operator, ward clerk, payroll, stores, medical secretary, medical records, theatre bookings, patient liaison and human resources. I also got to work with the full range of professions that make up a hospital and, in that, learnt how everyone involved contributes to the experience and care a patient receives.

I realised quickly that whether it is the direct clinical care from doctors, nurses and allied health, the clinical support of pharmacy, radiology or pathology right through to the administrative, engineering, catering and cleaning support services, everyone has to play their part for things to run smoothly and for people to be able to access the care and services they need. A passion for hospital management was ignited and has never dimmed.

How did you become involved in safety and quality?

This was really a case of right time, right place. Being a hospital CEO you really do have to focus on safety and quality because at the end of the day the whole point of a hospital is to provide quality and safe care. Feeling that I had gained a solid foundation in hospital management, I joined the Board of the Australian Private Hospitals Association in the mid-90s to become involved at an industry level.

Not long after that an opportunity presented itself to represent the private hospital industry on a Commonwealth Department of Health initiative that brought the private sector together to develop Private Sector Quality Criteria. I jumped at the chance given I already had a well-developed interest and understanding of safety and quality from my own facilities experience. It was not long after this time that Australia developed a more national focus on patient safety and I was passionate about the necessity for private sector inclusion in the development and implementation of national quality and safety initiatives.

What are your career highlights?

I’m really fortunate to say there are many and I hope the best are yet to come. I am most grateful for the opportunities to participate at an industry-wide level and that is due to my roles and work with the Australian Private Hospitals Association. Being President of the APHA is something I will always be immensely proud of; especially being the 1st female President of the association.

Celebrating the milestone of 25 years as Toowong Private Hospital’s (TPH) CEO in September was an absolute highlight. The team at TPH is one of the finest you will find in any hospital anywhere. Their dedication and commitment to providing our patients with the best possible psychiatric care is outstanding and something I have great pride and admiration in.

Chairing the Mental Health Advisory Group for the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQHC) and working with Suellen Allan, Andrew Moors and those at the forefront of mental health services and lived experience across the country is both a highlight and profoundly rewarding.

My work with the Medical Board of Australia through Chairing the National Special Issues Committee, which is part of a leading initiative in transforming the regulatory management of sexual boundary and family violence notifications, is a significant highlight.

Clearly being awarded the ACHS Gold Medal is right up there.

A real highlight for me though is knowing that I have contributed to a patient getting the care and services they need and that they have experienced as positive a time in hospital that they can. Maybe my own experiences with nosocomephobia gives me that little extra empathy for people at their most vulnerable.

How would you describe your leadership style?

Open. I believe in the old-fashioned open door policy — be that for managers, staff or patients and their families. My office is central in the hospital — if you need to see me, I am there. I am approachable and I listen. I would never ask or expect anyone to do anything that I was not prepared to do myself. My parents instilled a ‘captain goes down with the ship’ philosophy… so you can guarantee regardless of success, challenge or failure, I’ll be there and I’ll be responsible and accountable.

Did you face challenges as a woman leader? If yes, how did you navigate those?

I did and I still do. Being a leader first involves getting the opportunity to be one, and for a woman the biggest challenge has been and remains equality in the workplace, any workplace. I have relied on my communication skills, emotional intelligence and determination. I was raised in a family of strong women and men; gender didn’t really feature in opportunities or expectations. I was taught from a very young age that if you wanted something, you needed to work hard and keep at it. That’s what I have done and I hope they are the skills and personal ethos I have embedded in my own son and daughter.

What do you think are the key elements of being a successful leader?

I think a successful leader has to be able to inspire people; to do that they need to be knowledgeable and they certainly need to have both great communication and listening ability. To be able to inspire others you must have empathy, vision and resilience. I also believe that a good leader has to have integrity and be accountable.

What would be your advice for emerging leaders and those interested in quality and safety?

Put the patient/consumer at the centre of everything. My personal philosophy has always put patients at the centre of care and I think that is reflected in my work. My belief that ensuring and protecting the best interests of patients will achieve significant improvements in the system — from efficiency through to effectiveness — has guided my work in both quality and safety and in general.

Lastly, what do you like outside of work?

Outside of work, I enjoy nothing more than spending time with family and our menagerie of pets… three beagles, four cats and an aquarium of tropical fish. I’m an avid reader and will admit to an obsession with podcasts and Netflix series. Post pandemic, I look forward to getting back to discovering the joys of holiday travel.