Holding on to hope: Chris Goldsmith’s perspective on healthcare administration

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Before becoming an author and nonprofit founder, Chris Goldsmith spent more than fifteen years in executive healthcare positions, including CEO and COO roles. His subsequent experience navigating healthcare services following a serious diagnosis gave him a different perspective on the systems he had previously encountered as an industry professional.

His memoir, nonprofit initiative, and public commentary examine how healthcare organizations operate and how patients, families, and employees experience their processes.

A different perspective on healthcare administration

After being diagnosed with stage 4 gastrointestinal stromal tumor, or GIST, Goldsmith began encountering healthcare operations from a patient’s perspective as well as an executive’s.

During his treatment, he dealt with administrative procedures and other practical aspects of obtaining care. According to Goldsmith, the experience led him to consider the differences between how healthcare processes are designed and how patients may encounter them in practice.

Although his experience is not representative of every patient, it provides the basis for his observations about organizational structure, communication, and service delivery.

Documenting healthcare administration

Goldsmith later wrote GUTS: A Healthcare CEO’s Bold Battle Against Stage 4 Cancer— And Your Handbook for Healing. The book combines memoir with observations about healthcare administration and navigating institutional processes.

Drawing on his experiences as an executive and patient, Goldsmith discusses institutional procedures, organizational communication, and how administrative decisions may be experienced outside an executive setting. The book presents his personal perspective rather than medical, psychological, or wellness guidance.

Developing a public platform

Goldsmith has extended this work through FixTheSystemOrDieTrying.org, a nonprofit initiative that collects accounts from patients and healthcare workers. The platform features positive and critical experiences with the stated aim of identifying recurring operational concerns and examples of effective practice.

According to the organization, these submissions may inform proposed business processes and public commentary about healthcare delivery. The initiative concentrates on organizational practices rather than individual treatment decisions or outcomes.

Individual accounts cannot establish how effectively an entire healthcare system operates, but they may draw attention to processes that warrant closer examination.

Contributing to discussions about system design

Through his memoir and nonprofit work, Goldsmith contributes to discussions about healthcare administration, communication, and accountability. By documenting individual accounts and examining recurring concerns, he aims to encourage discussion about how healthcare institutions design and evaluate their service-delivery processes.