GAINESVILLE, FL: Charles Frock (BS IE 1971) saw a lot change in the healthcare industry during his  37-year career, which recently concluded as CEO of FirstHealth of the Carolinas in Pinehurst.  But he sees a lot more change on the horizon, as cost management is going to be more important than ever before.  Hospitals “never had an incentive to reduce cost,” explained Frock to students in the Introduction to ISE course on Monday, November 5.  “However, we are the beginning of the wave when people are going to absolutely have to reduce costs.”

And this opens the door for Industrial and Systems Engineers to make their mark in healthcare, according to Frock.  He suggested students pursue opportunities by visiting local hospitals and volunteering to improve processes for a summer in order to build credibility in the area.  “You can’t be experience,” he said, “and you can build upon it.”  As 80 percent of the healthcare in the U.S. is performed in community hospitals and small systems, there is plenty of work out there.