2011-up-and-comers-aric-sharp - Modern Healthcare

Aric Sharp said the magic words in college when he offered to work without pay as a summer intern, but it was his outstanding work that opened doors for him. Right after Iowa Clinic (Des Moines) CEO C. Edward Brown hired Sharp, Brown gave his unpaid intern a project on an asset-merger transaction. He also gave a paid intern from Duke University an assignment. “The kid from Duke did OK, but he didn't blow my socks off,” Brown says. “But then I saw Aric's work and thought, ‘Oh, God. Now I have to pay him.' ” Diligence and integrity are two qualities Sharp says were necessities during his 11 years at the Iowa Clinic, bringing those traits with him to the Quincy (Ill.) Medical Group, where he's served as CEO since 2007. Sharp, 38, stressed the important of communication among staff, ensuring a culture of inclusiveness. “We've got to be in touch with those interacting with patients; they're the ones who generally know and have the best ideas on how to improve things,” he says. Being available to staff and seeking their input demonstrates accountability. And that's valuable to Sharp, as accountability makes building a consensus easier and also helps avoid conflict. “It starts with trust. You've got to build trust to get interaction for the best solutions,” he says. “You have to be very clear in your communication and what you need to represent.” Quincy felt Sharp's impact quickly, and hospital officials credit his leadership with improving financial performance. That includes overseeing a 30% increase in clinic revenue, which happened over a 30-month period. Physician group income also grew, while professional overhead dropped. Sharp spent 11 years at the Iowa Clinic, where he worked as a summer intern and finance analyst while earning his master's degree in hospital and health administration from Iowa State University in Ames. He also earned his bachelor of business administration in finance in 1995 from Iowa State. The Iowa Clinic opened in 1994, and working for the clinic in its infancy provided Sharp with a unique opportunity, Brown says. When Sharp left for Quincy, he had already ascended to the role of chief operating officer at the Iowa Clinic. Brown recalls Sharp's willingness to do anything. That included dressing up as Elvis Presley and taking the stage during a fundraiser for the American Heart Association. Sharp wouldn't comment on his singing performance. Sharp grew up in a small town in southeast Iowa with a population of about 1,000. His father was a banker and his mother an educator. He is the youngest of three, and both siblings, coincidentally, also work in healthcare. His brother is a pharmacist and his sister is a nurse.