A chat with UMMS’s new CFO, 11 days in – Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News

Noel Sousa started his new role as CFO of Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medical System in mid-July, but his more than three decades of healthcare finance leadership have positioned him to navigate the system’s landscape with a collaborative and transparent mindset.

“I love finance and I love numbers, but I like making an impact in the area more, in an organization and in the community,” Mr. Sousa told Becker’s July 28. 

Prior to his new role, Mr. Sousa was interim CFO of Sacramento, Calif.-based UC Davis Health, and had served in different leadership roles at the hospital since 1997.

Since making the move from California to Maryland, Mr. Sousa’s early priorities at UMMS include preparing for the state government’s shift to a new payment model – to be in effect from 2026 to 2034 – strengthening capital investment oversight and helping with the shift to a more unified 11-hospital system.

“I really want to make sure that we have a clear understanding and transparency about where all the money is going to help us make better decisions,” he said. 

Mr. Sousa also sees potential in targeted service line growth and outpatient care expansion. With more people wanting care access where they live, he is focused on finding ways to expand areas like telecom medicine and ambulatory-type settings.

“Medicine is going outpatient, whether we like it or not,” he said. “The technology is there, and we need to be able to have the right facilities and resources to adapt to that, as well as to meet patients in the model that they want.”

While Mr. Sousa acknowledged the industry complexities ahead, he stressed the importance to remain focused. 

“We need to find a way that helps maintain the excellence that we have in this country and in caring for our patients.,” he said. “Give us the best and latest technologies, but try to do it in a way that doesn’t bankrupt anyone. [We] need good partners out there. All of us need to come together in healthcare to help solve this, find good solutions to reduce the cost of care, but also we owe it to the patients to have the best advances that we can at the lowest costs.”