1.

What brought you to Mayo Clinic, and how long have you worked here?

I have been with Mayo Clinic for four years. Prior to joining Mayo Clinic, I worked for a for-profit health system where I led operations and started new service lines. In my experience working for nonprofit and for-profit health systems, Mayo Clinic stands out because our patients always come first. Also, as a Mayo Clinic patient myself, I’ve seen firsthand the difference in care.  

Paul Schneider

2.

What’s your current role and what does a typical workday look like for you?

I currently work in national accounts, where we focus on strategy development with many of the nation’s top health care systems. Our team serves as the face of Mayo Clinic because we interact with C-suite leadership at nationally recognized and top-ranked facilities. Through our efforts, we’re involved in many projects with a focus on improving diagnostic patient care. Additionally, we tie in Mayo Clinic’s expertise to many of our respective clients’ strategic initiatives.

A typical workday depends on which projects I’m currently working on, and the location varies, from working in my home office to traveling to outside health care systems. We collaborate across local area teams to lead strategy and efforts that bring Mayo Clinic Laboratories testing to these respective facilities. This allows a health care system to take control of its own laboratories instead of falling prey to commercial laboratories with interests in line with shareholder expectations. Our goal is to drive efficiency, drive out waste, and help our clients become stronger for their patients and communities. 

3.

How do you think your work benefits providers and patients?

What’s unique about our entire external facing team is how we affect patient care throughout the world. By ordering a Mayo Clinic Laboratories test, patients have access to indirect care by Mayo Clinic providers whether they reside in a rural area, clear across the country in California, or elsewhere around the globe. Mayo Collaborative Services impacts more than our internal patients. The collaboration that we provide to providers outside of our own health care system lines up with Mayo Clinic’s three shields. This further brings increased investment in research back to Mayo Clinic, which helps advance the tests of tomorrow, today.

4.

Is there anything about you or your job that others might find surprising?

I have the unique opportunity to understand firsthand the challenges many health care systems face outside of Mayo Clinic, and that makes for an interesting role. Many of the individuals I work with outside of Mayo Clinic have become my co-workers and colleagues, because we all have a shared goal to advance patient care. Sometimes I may interact and see them more than my own Mayo Clinic colleagues. For example, oftentimes I visit the Stanford University campus more than I do our Mayo Clinic offices in Rochester.   

5.

Which part(s) of your job is the most challenging, and why?

The most challenging part of my role is recognizing the potential in strategic initiatives and advancements, which may take longer to materialize due to external circumstances. For instance, COVID-19 stalled some areas of innovation while sparking others that dealt with more pressing health care solutions at the time. Additionally, financial resources can often be a challenge that slows down progress. 

6.

What gives you meaning and purpose in your work?

I love that my work gives me an opportunity to share Mayo Clinic’s knowledge and expertise with other health care systems. I enjoy discovering new areas for collaboration, because everyone has a shared goal to advance patient care. At Mayo Clinic, we set the example and influence how patients receive the best care around the world.