TOLEDO, Ohio — ProMedica President and CEO Arturo Polizzi has guided the company through one of its most challenging periods. From financial struggles to strategic restructuring, he has played a pivotal role in navigating the future of one of the largest healthcare organizations in the region.
In an interview with WTOL 11, his first with a Toledo TV station since taking charge of ProMedica, he addressed the road to recovery, the company's future and its role in the community.
RIGHTING THE SHIP
For Polizzi, the last two years at the helm have been a rollercoaster of triumph and tough decisions. When he stepped in as CEO to succeed Randy Oostra, the company was facing a serious financial crisis. Cash flow, as he puts it, was hemorrhaging, and the company was under pressure to right the ship.
“We were bleeding a lot of cash at that point and we needed a plan to get out of it,” Polizzi said. "It was stressful on the leadership team and the clinicians. But we were transparent. We explained the problem and we put a plan in place. And I’m really proud to say it worked."
The recovery wasn’t easy. With ProMedica facing significant debt and operational strain after the pandemic, Polizzi had to make difficult decisions, including divesting parts of the company to streamline operations and return to profitability. But through it all, he maintains that the focus was on the company’s core mission: healthcare in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.
Polizzi says his background as a lawyer gave him the tools to navigate the turnaround. He credits his time at Toledo Hospital for preparing him to lead the organization when the stakes were even higher.
“My job at Toledo Hospital was like running a small city. It’s about keeping things running efficiently, even when there’s a fire every day," he said.
But it wasn’t just about finances. ProMedica was at a crossroads, and the community watched closely to see how the company would respond. Many wondered if the company would be sold. When asked how close ProMedica was to being acquired, Polizzi said that given its situation, there wasn’t much from which to choose, and ultimately the plan was to focus on restructuring the company itself.
“Given the debt and the problems with nursing homes, there weren’t many suitors,” he admitted. “We had to figure out our own situation.”
PROMEDICA'S EXTERNAL RESPONSIBILITIES
When asked about Toledo’s political landscape and ProMedica's role in shaping it, Polizzi is candid. His predecessor, Oostra, was deeply invested in the community’s quality of life beyond healthcare and championed the redevelopment of downtown Toledo and other initiatives.
Polizzi, while recognizing the importance of such work, is focused primarily on ProMedica’s internal recovery.
“We’re scaled back. We don’t have the resources we once did,” he said. “But we still believe in supporting what makes sense for the region.”
BIT, BUT WISER
One misstep ProMedica couldn’t avoid: its investment in Bitwise Industries, a failed tech incubator and job-training company that once had a promising future in Toledo. ProMedica lost millions but is now repurposing the Jefferson Center, which Bitwise was set to occupy.
"We were victims like many others," Polizzi of Bitwise's collapse. "But we’re turning lemons into lemonade, filling the building with new tenants and staying practical about its future."
BURNOUT AND FALLOUT
One major challenge ProMedica continues to face is burnout and staffing shortages, particularly in nursing. The pandemic took its toll, and Polizzi acknowledges the struggle to recruit and retain staff.
“We’ve kept up with wages, which is key, and we’ve reduced reliance on agency staff,” he said. “Our retention rates are strong and morale is improving. It’s not perfect, but we’re making progress.”
POINTED TO THE FUTURE
Still, Polizzi believes that the future of healthcare in the U.S. is more complex than ever, with a myriad of issues ranging from access and coverage to the power of pharmaceutical companies and insurance providers.
“Healthcare is incredibly complex,” he said. “The best teams in healthcare will succeed and we have to collaborate and be transparent to put all those factors into a strategic plan that works.”
As for ProMedica’s future growth, Polizzi sees it in terms of service lines like heart, neurology, oncology and orthopedics and expanding through ambulatory care and outpatient surgery.
"The future is in these specialized areas. We're looking at how we can expand those services and keep improving the patient experience," he said.
However, Polizzi remains focused on the immediate task at hand — sustaining ProMedica’s turnaround. He’s proud of the progress made but understands that the road ahead will require patience and careful management.
When asked about his leadership style, Polizzi emphasizes his desire to lead without micromanaging.
“I’m a tiebreaker. I trust my team to make the decisions. I’m here to help when needed, but I believe in decentralizing authority,” he said.
It’s this balance of trust and transparency that seems to have helped guide ProMedica through turbulent waters.
Polizzi is also quick to praise the dedication of ProMedica’s employees, citing their commitment as a key reason for the company’s turnaround. He says recently, the company handed out 20,000 turkeys to employees for Thanksgiving as a gesture of appreciation for their hard work during a challenging time.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the team here. From our front-line clinicians to the people who clean the rooms, they are all critical to what we do,” Polizzi said.
Looking ahead, Polizzi remains cautiously optimistic.
“We’re still focused on getting back to full health. But we’re on the right path. ProMedica is going to be here for a long time.”
You can watch the full interview with Polizzi below:
