Whenever I’m faced with a difficult decision, I try to think about the people who will be affected by it. That’s what I did in 20 years as the Vice President and General Counsel of a local not-for-profit health plan—and that’s how I practice today in my role advising hospitals, health systems, managed care and physician groups, and not-for-profit clients. For me, it’s not enough to have intimate knowledge of public health and insurance law, healthcare risk management policies, and reimbursement rates; you have to consider the human impact, and think about how every audit, every negotiation, and every contract can impact the lives of your patients and their families.