When it comes to public health and emergency services, effective leadership is crucial. In the wake of widespread emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, or in the face of the everyday needs and troubles of a given region, being able to make the right decisions quickly can be the difference between life and death. In much the same vein, a leader that’s able to innovate and develop new procedures, improve on existing plans and services, and anticipate future needs is a leader that will truly make a difference in their community.
With over twenty years of experience in healthcare, emergency medical services (EMS), and public health, Scott Bookman has built his career around being just such a leader. From his work as Chief Paramedic at Denver Health and Hospital Authority, to his time as the Administrative Director and Service Line Director at the Department of Emergency Medicine, to his role as Colorado’s Senior Director for Public Health Readiness and Response, Bookman has consistently demonstrated his dedication to supporting his community and innovative leadership. He’s transformed urban EMS systems, elevated patient care in rural clinics, and set public health guidelines for the entire state, and his career has marked him as a standout executive and leader for navigating the challenges of modern healthcare.
Scott Bookman’s accomplishments carry a common theme: finding functional solutions with respect to and care for the community first and foremost. That community focus grew with every role he served in over the course of his career, from paramedic and street supervisor to COVID-19 Incident Commander. As Bookman grew into career leadership, his work crystallized into a passion for ensuring that everyone is able to get the care they need.
“I fundamentally believe that all people have a right to the best possible healthcare that our country can provide,” Bookman says. “It is critical to ensure that safety net institutions and government agencies focus on providing care to those who need it most.”
Growing Into Leadership
Like most leaders of note, Scott Bookman entered at the entry level of the healthcare space, starting as a paramedic, educator, and street supervisor at the Denver Health and Hospital Authority. It wasn’t long before he went from delivering life-saving aid in the back of an ambulance to overseeing the EMS crews and services at a higher level. He worked his way up to the rank of Captain, where he oversaw scheduling and special event operations, and eventually served as the Chief Paramedic for seven years. In those roles, especially as Chief, the scope of his role expanded further and further until he was in charge of the 911 EMS system, education program, Denver Airport Operations, Critical Care Transport, and more. His success in these roles directly enabled his later career moves, and set the stage for his leadership track moving forward.
Halfway through his tenure as Chief Paramedic, he was asked to take on the additional role of Administrative Director/Service Line Director for the Department of Emergency Medicine, a new set of responsibilities and opportunities for positive change in his community. In this role, Scott Bookman worked closely in triad partnership with nursing and physician leaders to achieve financial health objectives, focus on operational excellence, and improve outcome measures and patient satisfaction scores. In working with EMS agencies and health systems across Colorado, he was able to contribute to improved trauma patient referrals and outcomes statewide.
“In each of those roles, I was able to develop a deep understanding of the importance of providing care for everyone in our community, in the right way and at the right time,” Bookman says. “I developed my leadership style to be warm and engaging, with a focus on building teams and leading them to success.”
From City To State
Scott Bookman’s career didn’t stay at the local or regional level for long; his leadership and expertise was needed elsewhere, and it wasn’t long before new opportunities arose. Moving from urban centers to the frontier, Bookman transitioned to become the Chief Executive Officer of the Uncompahgre Medical Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center on the verge of fiscal collapse. This role allowed him to serve the most vulnerable residents in the deeply rural areas of Colorado, where access barriers, limited pre-hospital resources, low health literacy, and complicated federal regulations posed challenges to providing whole patient care. Through the use of innovative lean management systems, Bookman was able to lead his team to increased volume, improved quality metrics, and higher patient satisfaction.
Bookman took what he learned on the frontier and expanded to the state level as he took on the responsibilities of Colorado’s Senior Director for Public Health Readiness and Response, and later as the state’s COVID-19 Incident Commander. These roles required working in a complex regulatory environment with a deep understanding of overcoming challenges through problem solving and partnership development, and the lessons learned in this time would prove useful through to the modern post-pandemic era. These would be some of the most impactful roles and achievements of his career, as he provided critical leadership at both the city and state levels during multiple crises.
Scott Bookman worked closely with both the Governor’s Chief of Staff and the White House throughout the pandemic period to inform national strategy, operationalize the at-home testing program, and construct the roadmap for the post-pandemic future. On the local level, Bookman worked to design and guide Colorado’s statewide response that balanced public health, economic sustainability, and public trust in their government. Since the pandemic’s declared end, he’s led efforts to appropriately downsize the team while ensuring the lessons learned are codified in the rapidly-evolving public health system.
“Leading the statewide COVID response was one of the greatest accomplishments of my career,” says Bookman, “But I am also incredibly proud of the concurrent public health work that we did during COVID, like leading the responses to some of the largest wildfires in Colorado history. I am also proud of placing an emphasis on health and wellness for all of our frontline workers like paramedics and public health workers.”
