Three newly appointed CEOs in the region gathered recently to compare perspectives on benefits inherent to Arizona-based business during a Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce (GPCC) event at downtown Phoenix’s Musical Instrument Museum (MIM).

WebPT’s Nancy Ham, HonorHealth’s Todd LaPorte and Equality Health’s Hugh Lytle — three CEOs new to their positions, to their companies or to Arizona — agreed that advancing Arizona’s health care system needs cooperation among all stakeholders.

“There’s a real coming together that’s going to be necessary in our health care system; much stronger collaboration and a defragmentation of the ecosystem for it to deliver what you all want it to deliver,” LaPorte said, according to a press release.

Ham spoke of the challenge of drawing and keeping talent at WebPT, referring to work culture as an actual product requiring oversight.

“We have a product manager,” Ham said. “We have a full-time culture captain. We have people that wake up every day and say ‘what will make WebPT more attracting than the technology company down the street?’”

Lytle emphasized the importance of originality and entrepreneurial spirit in the Valley along with the strength of the state’s school systems. The combination promotes a thriving workforce, especially when community college offerings are factored in, he said.

All three leaders agreed that workforce is a critical concern in health care and that Arizona’s future health care industry will revolve around consumer needs.