Catherine Joseph has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership through her proactive approach to problem-solving, her management of the House Supervisors, and her oversight of TCS (Total Collaborative Staffing).

Earlier this year, we had an incident where a patient was discharged without any at-home follow-up medication or treatment instructions provided to the patient or family. The medication had not been administered or sent with the patient at discharge, and was still waiting in the pharmacy to be picked up. Once Catherine received the full report of the patient’s history and identified where the process had broken down, she took immediate action. She personally went to the pharmacy to retrieve the medication and drove to the patient’s assisted living facility herself. There, she instructed both the patient and the care home staff on the necessary steps for proper medication administration.

In her role overseeing the House Supervisors, Catherine has successfully brought a new mindset and renewed sense of accountability to the team. When she came on board about eight months ago, our department struggled with inconsistencies in shift management, missed ED throughput targets, and an ineffective ED-to-bed process. Teamwork and communication were lacking. Catherine has been instrumental in transforming this culture. Although her expectations have made our work more challenging at times, her guidance and presence have been invaluable. She is consistently available to troubleshoot problems, provide real-time solutions, and help identify the root causes of issues both within our team and across departments.

Her determination to educate us on maintaining consistency, to encourage us to see the bigger picture, and to support us when issues needed to be escalated has elevated our team’s performance. She mentors with purpose, challenges us to think critically, and empowers us to operate at a higher level. Her servant leadership style is evident in how deeply she cares for her team, both as individuals and as a collective group.

Catherine’s leadership in managing TCS (Total Collaborative Staffing) has also led to measurable improvements. The discharge process, which had long been a challenge, has become significantly more efficient under her direction. Through her daily meetings with department leaders and multidisciplinary teams, she has fostered a methodical approach to identifying the root causes of discharge delays and implementing sustainable solutions. Her collaborative leadership has helped build buy-in among department managers and improved adherence to defined processes that enhance efficiency and support timely patient care.

She has also mentored leaders to adopt a hospital-wide perspective rather than a department-specific view, fostering greater resource sharing and alignment across teams. This shift in mindset has improved collaboration and contributed to stronger operational performance, particularly in ED-to-bed throughput and patient satisfaction.

Catherine Joseph’s leadership, initiative, and dedication have resulted in lasting positive change within KP San Jose. Her deep understanding of strategic goals, her commitment to operational excellence, and her ability to take decisive, compassionate action make her an outstanding example of effective, servant-hearted leadership.