James Decker wants to help treat the healthcare industry with his new book

James “Jim” Decker, former CEO of the Medic Regional Blood Center, writes the book “Reviving the Mind of Leadership.” He said hospitals are trying to keep up with the latest clinical and information technology and can drive many decisions.

James “Jim” Decker, former CEO of Medic Regional Blood Center, grew up in Louisiana, wanted to be a doctor. However, several early experiences working as a respiratory therapist at university, including watching patients die, changed his mind.

However, early work provided enduring benefits in that it was instead fascinated by the way doctors, nurses and staff worked together as a team. It led to a rewarding career as a hospital administrator.

West Knoxville residents are now mostly retired, but they have found another way to keep them focused on healing. This time, he wants to share his leadership experience and knowledge about helping out the healthcare industry, or at least how it can be improved.

He recently wrote a book entitled “Reviving the Mind of Leadership.” He says that it is the notes and some of the knowledge he has covered. He said it is also a book designed for those who want to improve their leadership skills in all fields.

So, published by Advantage Books, it seems to be an ideal remedy for those who want to learn more about leadership in their field so far. That's because Decker recently said it was the number one bestseller among healthcare books on Amazon.

“I was so happy to see that,” he said with a laugh on the phone from Whittington Creek's house recently.

After working in a senior management position in the health care system in Tennessee since 1979, he retired from Medic for about two years of 17 years of stint, saying he had no intention of writing a book.

“Someone picked up my biography online. I was approached by Forbes Publishing and asked if I was interested in writing a book,” said Decker, who also holds a PhD in Health Management. “It was deep in my mind (which does some sort of writing), but this hit me at a good time and I agreed to sit down and do it.”

He said the focus is primarily on the healthcare system. He said this is an industry that has been undergoing much scrutiny in recent years, including high costs and insurance refusals to cover insurance.

He said that part of the issue is that hospitals are trying to keep up with the latest clinical and information technology, which can cost money and drive many decisions.

One of the suggestions Decker has, at least for leaders, is focusing more on compassion. “We need to go back to the compassionate aspect of healthcare,” he said, adding that it's wrong to focus solely on the business side. “The compassionate aspect is why people enter healthcare. In leadership, you need to be aware of the compassionate aspects of healthcare. You need to remember to be here to help people.”

He also says that being the right kind of leader in the healthcare industry is important, adding that he is trying to share what it entails based on his experiences and observations. “A good leader is someone who sets the tone of an organization, a good example of an organization and makes good judgment,” he said.

He said he does not claim to be a leadership expert and knows that he has many books written on the topic. “I'm an imperfect leader, but I was able to see others and see how people lead and learn from them,” he said.

It also includes what Decker calls Crucibles, or examples of challenging situations. Some of them were various laws and changes to the health care system he had to coordinate as a manager, but some were more personal. The latter included a serious car accident involving his wife in 2005, which was taken at the muzzle when he got into the car outside the Medic office in 2011.

Each incident gave him valuable lessons for life and leadership in his field despite the challenges. And the recent education at South College wants to share a career story that is almost rewarding, if not what he originally thought.

“We all have a time when we wonder what we're doing, but looking back at 47 years, it was very fulfilling,” he said.