Stephen Swensen

A Mayo Man

"We make a difference. Every day is one to look forward to."

Each day at Mayo brings something new and interesting, says Steve. During good weather—between the equinoxes—he will run or bike the ten or so miles from home to work. Once there, he will change into suits and ties stored in the locker room and tackle the day’s meetings, presentations and consultations. He responds to his 100-plus e-mails each day while walking on a treadmill, because, he says, research shows that standing up and moving improves thinking and decision-making. He’s devoted to Mayo Clinic and its mission.

“I really believe in our organization,” says Steve. “We make a difference. Every day is one to look forward to. I think Mayo Clinic’s system of an integrated practice, with education and research supporting the best care for every patient, is a unique model. All the physicians here are salaried. There’s no production model, no incentive to take out someone’s gallbladder [unless absolutely necessary], which is rare in medicine today,” he says.

“Mayo is a high-quality medical institution,” says Steve. “In many ways— objectively—I could argue that we are the best. But I know for a fact that we are not the best we can be. I would like to see Mayo Clinic become the first highreliability health care institution on the planet.”

And he’s been chosen to lead that effort.