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RLI Taking the Lead Podcasts

Episode 12: Rasu B. Shrestha, MD, MBA




The Making of a Leader


August 15, 2019

In this episode, Rasu B. Shrestha, MD, MBA, Chief Strategy Officer and executive vice president of Atrium Health, shares his leadership journey from clinical practice to informatics to business. He discusses what it was like growing up in Kathmandu, Nepal, his medical training at CCS University in India followed by residency and fellowship at the University of London and why he decided to pursue an MBA. You will learn how he transitioned into radiology informatics and became a catalyst in transforming the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center into a more patient-focused and economically sustainable system, what led him to Atrium Health, and how he uses Twitter to inspire.

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Rasu B. Shrestha, MD, MBA

Rasu B. Shrestha, MD, MBA,is executive vice president and chief strategy officer for Atrium Health, one of the most comprehensive and highly integrated not-for-profit healthcare systems in the nation. As a member of the executive leadership team, Dr. Shrestha is responsible for Atrium Health’s enterprise strategy, including planning and tactical direction for the organization’s current strategic roadmap and beyond. In addition, he spearheads a renewed focus on innovation, launching new healthcare inventions, discoveries and ideas to benefit our patients and the communities Atrium Health serves. He also provides executive leadership for corporate communications and marketing, showcasing Atrium Health as a meaningful, national brand.

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Did you know?

Dr. Shrestha has been married to Ruchi Shrestha, MD who is also a radiologist, for almost 20 years. Together they have two boys, Rohan and Rayan. The Shrestha family recently relocated from Pittsburgh, PA to Charlotte, NC. While they currently have no pets, the boys are hoping to convince their parents to get a puppy.

Dr. Shrestha enjoys nature and the many gifts that the universe presents. He also loves photography and has a knack for painting—watercolor and charcoal are his go-to mediums. During his school days, he was a sprinter on the track team which may explain his insatiable compulsion for speed! These days, however, he counts himself blessed to make some time for the gym on a somewhat regular basis! But on a day off, he cherishes the opportunity to hang out with his boys and just chill with them. They grow up too fast, and every moment he gets to spend with them – come rain or come shine – is a favorite activity for him away from work!

Dr. Shrestha loves to travel. He’s been fortunate to have had the luxury to have lived in various continents and geographies. There is nothing quite like travel and the opportunity to soak oneself in the local cultures of geographies near and far to really get a different sense of appreciation for life and living. Diversity is not just about skin color and race and ethnicity, it is equally, if not more about the way you think, your background, your experiences, your approaches and your own stories. He and his family really enjoyed their last vacation to Greece– Santorini was even better in person than those amazing postcards and Instagram pictures!

The one thing that was certain in Dr. Shrestha’s mind from an early age was that he truly wanted to become a doctor. His goal was to help people, and be of service to mankind. It was a singular goal that truly drove him to various decisions that led him down the path of achieving that goal, getting into radiology, and then into informatics and then into the business side of healthcare too. Dr. Shrestha is very much a visual person, and his background in imaging is something he carries forward in the daily rigors of healthcare leadership, strategy, innovation and informatics. Dr. Shrestha feels that radiologists generally tend to be tech-savvy, problem-solvers, ready to find solutions to complex challenges.

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