Up & Comers - 2018

As long as patients still have needs, Joanne Inman is hesitant to claim success. Inman oversees Sentara Leigh Hospital, one of Sentara Healthcare's largest and best-performing facilities.

"Humanity is connected by our universal need for good health. As a small child I was fascinated by medicine and nursing, particularly how science, art, discovery and compassion interplay as we strive to provide complete care for people," she said.

In which TV medical drama would you star? I would probably have to collaborate on a new one

What musician would you dream of having perform at your next birthday celebration? Billy Joel

What superhero are you? Wonder Woman

In 2017, Inman advanced a master plan for the hospital.

"I have always had a strong connection to strategy and leadership, which led me away from direct care provision and toward healthcare management. This allows me to combine my passion for healthcare with my business instincts," she said.

Inman has lead the organization in reducing variation and improving quality, including drops in hospital-acquired infections and readmissions. Under her administration, Sentara Leigh Hospital was scored by IBM Watson Health as one of the top five across five measures, excelling the most in mortality, complications, Medicare spending, patient experience and operating margin, compared to 475 teaching hospitals.

Yet for Inman, there's much more to be done. "The reality is that in healthcare, we have only scratched the surface on truly improving health in a way that reflects the quadruple aim. Therefore, I will always have high priority goals," she said.