'Making a difference': Napa executive works to improve access to healthcare and social services

Anyone heading in or out of Napa Valley at the intersection of highways 12/29 has likely noticed the buildings with the red tile roofs up on the hill at South Kelly Road.

That's the headquarters of The Doctors Company — the nation's largest physician-owned and led professional liability insurer of doctors and other health care professionals.

Elizabeth Healy fills two key roles at The Doctors Company.

First, she's vice president of government & community relations. Second, she's the director of The Doctors Company Foundation.

Healy said one of the things she appreciates most about her job is that it helps improve access to health care and social services in Napa and across the U.S.

"That work is very meaningful to me and deeply personal as someone who grew up with limited means and limited access to care," said Healy.

She's been with The Doctors Company for 16 years.

1. What was your childhood ambition?

To make a difference for people and change the world of course! Ultimately, that led to me wanting to work in politics.

2. What was your first job?

When I was 7 years old, I would go around my neighborhood in Ukiah and offer to wash people's cars for $2 — and I was very successful. My first tax-paying job as a teenager was as a cashier and prep-cook at Taco Bell in Sacramento.

3. What's the worst job you ever had?

Cleaning bachelor pads at the apartments we lived in when I was in high school. The guys were filthy, and they often short-changed me!

4. How did you get into the health care industry?

I really cared about health care, and I was fortunate to have a chance meeting with someone who worked for the chair of the California State Assembly Health Committee, and she and Assemblymember (Bruce) Bronzan were kind enough to allow me to do an unofficial internship after school every day at the State Capitol.

I learned enough from that experience, along with volunteering for political campaigns, to land a paying job in government relations working for a political appointee at the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.

5. What is the biggest challenge the health care industry has faced?

Health care professionals face daunting practice environments every day that make it hard for them to care for their patients such as inadequate reimbursement for their work, excessive litigation, and a tremendous amount of medical misinformation circulating on the internet.

6. What's one thing Napa could do to help local businesses or the economy?

Improve housing affordability. More affordable housing makes it easier to recruit and retain employees and improves their quality of life.

7. If you could change one thing about the health care industry, what would it be?

I would like everyone to have access to quality health care, no matter where they live and what they do for a living.

8. Who do you most admire in the business world?

Holly and Judd Finkelstein. Their family gives so much of their time and treasure to help everyone in our community. They do so not just in a personal capacity but also use their businesses as an avenue to do so.

9. What's your favorite charity or nonprofit?

There are so many wonderful nonprofits in this community, and I really value the work they do!

If I have to pick favorites, they would be Community Health Initiative of Napa, for which I am president of the board, the Napa Valley Community Foundation, and Mentis.

10. What's something people might be surprised to know about you?

I'm an introvert with an extrovert's job.

Also, I lived in two different hippie communes as a kid, one in Three Rivers (near Sequoia National Park), and one in Mendocino County.

For more information about The Doctors Company, call 800-421-2368 or visit thedoctors.com