It’s hard to quantify just how far medicine has advanced over the course of Margaret (“Meg”) M. McGoldrick’s 42 years in healthcare. But it’s the incredible rate of that change, in large part, that’s led healthcare networks across the country to one of the industry’s most critical crossroads. “Improving the work processes to create value is both our greatest challenge and our greatest opportunity in striving for excellence in the patient safety, quality and the patient experience,” says Ms. McGoldrick, the president of Abington-Jefferson Health. Ms. McGoldrick says that information is the healthcare industry’s currency, and her effectiveness as the head of two hospitals (with more than 1,400 physicians between them), two urgent care centers, and six outpatient facilities is tied to her ability to somehow remain not only fluent in all the various languages but current in their conversations. It was that diversity, though, the rare exposure to so many different professionals within a single hospital that drew Ms. McGoldrick into healthcare. After 20 years in leadership positions at Hahnemann University Hospital and the Medical College of Pennsylvania Hospital, Ms. McGoldrick was named the chief operating officer of Abington-Jefferson Health. Sixteen years into her tenure, in July of 2015, she was appointed president. Along the way, she’s developed a reputation for possessing an incomparable work ethic, a habit she honed at the Fox School of Business, where she was one of five women in the first class with women in the Healthcare Management Master’s Program. “She has a no-nonsense approach to leadership, coupled with strong values, trustworthiness, and unlimited energy,” said Laurence M. Merlis, EVP and chief operating officer of Jefferson Health, of Ms. McGoldrick upon her appointment as president. “When her promotion was announced at a meeting, the management team cheered.” “There’s no substitution for hard work,” Ms. McGoldrick says. “It doesn’t matter how smart, poised, or articulate you are. Hard work is what makes a professional and creates value around you.” She was honored in 2017 for her hand in creating community-building initiatives that are focused on increasing healthcare access, particularly for the underserved. These include the clinics at Abington Hospital, which provide services to the uninsured and underinsured. She was recognized for her work in diversity and inclusion in 2018. Similarly, Ms. McGoldrick has advocated increasing affordable higher education opportunities for employees in her Division, which, in part, is why she’s remained loyal to Temple nearly 50 years after she first arrived on campus. That she was able to pursue her dreams, remain close to home, and not bury herself in debt in the process resonates with her to this day. “I’m very grateful to Temple for launching me,” she says. “Temple educated me first and then Temple launched me into a career in healthcare leadership.

Temple University Degree
Master of Business Administration ’76, Fox School of Business; Bachelor of Arts ’74, College of Liberal Arts

Temple University Awards & Affiliatons
Board of Visitors, Fox School of Business

What I wanted to be when I was 20 years old
I was exploring architecture, law, medicine, and business. It was very clear to me from an early age that I wanted to be a professional and that I probably wanted to work toward a leadership position because, above all, I wanted to make a difference.

Best piece of advice anyone ever gave me
“Keep moving forward. There are ups and downs, but if you’re not moving forward, you’re probably going backward. Maintain a positive and respectful attitude focused on continuous improvement.”