Stephen Swensen, MD, MMM, FACR
Medical Director for Professionalism and Peer Support
Intermountain Healthcare
Senior Fellow of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Co-Lead, Joy in Work Initiative
Rochester, Minnesota

Dr. Stephen Swensen served as the Mayo Clinic Director for Quality when he received the Pete Conrad Global Patient Safety Award for his global contributions to patient safety. He established the Quality Academy and the Value Creation System. More than 37,000 colleagues were certified as Quality Fellows during his tenure. While Chair of the Department of Radiology, his leadership team used Lean-Sigma and Baldrige to create value for patients provided by 1,200 staff who performed more than one million exams annually. As director for Leadership and Organization Development, he co-led professional burnout work and oversaw the development of 4,100 physicians and scientists and 232 key leaders.

As he is dedicated to the development of thoughtful leaders and teams that have the capability to nurture camaraderie, purpose, well being and trust to create joy in work for the colleagues they lead. He is a recognized, well-published expert in leadership and professional burnout. He serves as the Medical Director for Professionalism and Peer Support at Intermountain Healthcare. He is a Senior Fellow of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement where he co-leads their Joy in Work Initiative. He works as a Theme Leader and member of the NEJM Catalyst Board. He is a Senior Fellow of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement where he co-leads their Joy in Work Initiative. He works as a Theme Leader and member of the NEJM Catalyst Board. He holds a Masters of Medical Management from Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz School and is a trained Executive Coach. He received his MD from the University of Wisconsin. His residency training was at the Mayo Clinic and his Thoracic Radiology Fellowship at Harvard Medical School.