Sutter Health CHRO Deborah Yount Tackles Healthcare Workforce Challenges

In a recent interview with Healthcare Dive, Deborah Yount, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Sutter Health, shared insights on addressing burnout, supporting managers, and fostering employee development in the healthcare industry.

Combating Burnout and Improving Retention

Yount, who joined Sutter Health's executive team in January 2025, has prioritized preventing burnout among healthcare workers while boosting retention rates. The organization has implemented several strategies to achieve these goals:

• Focusing on employee engagement and purpose, emphasizing Sutter Health's mission of "patients first and people always"
• Reducing turnover rates to 9%, significantly below the industry standard of 15-16%
• Investing in workforce development, with 16,000 employees accessing virtual learning programs in 2025 alone
• Implementing a "development for all" strategy to provide growth opportunities for every employee

Empowering People Managers

Recognizing the crucial role of people managers in organizational success, Sutter Health has launched initiatives to support and develop leadership capabilities:

• Creating a new certification program to build "best-in-class people leaders"
• Implementing an eight-module program covering topics such as financials, operations, performance management, and crucial conversations
• Establishing a "power of one" platform to ensure consistent communication and organizational alignment among leaders

Addressing Employee Needs and Safety

Yount highlighted additional focus areas based on recent employee experience surveys:

• Simplifying work processes and improving access to resources and technology, including artificial intelligence
• Ensuring both psychological and physical safety for employees in their work environments

As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, Sutter Health's approach to human resources management demonstrates a commitment to addressing workforce challenges through comprehensive strategies and targeted investments in employee development and support.