DR. STEVE GOSS
President, Mercy Clinic NWA Communities
Dr. Steve Goss is president of Mercy Clinic NWA Communities, a position he has held since November 2003. As president, he works with the 255+ multispecialty integrated provider group at 38 clinic locations.
Dr. Goss was born and reared in Pine Bluff. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Ouachita Baptist University and his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, where he also completed his residency training in internal medicine/pediatrics. Board-certified in pediatrics and internal medicine, Dr. Goss has practiced medicine since 1983.
In 1990, Dr. Goss co-founded the Garrett Goss Clinic in Bentonville. He has served as the principal investigator of several research studies and has served on medical mission trips to the Philippines, Indonesia (post-tsunami) and Haiti (post-earthquake).
Dr. Goss presently serves as a member of the UAMS NW Campus Advisory Board, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Board and is site director of the NWA Internal Medicine Residency Program. He also serves as chairman of the Bentonville Schools Reopening Task Force.
He and his wife, Susan, have been married for nearly 44 years. Susan is a licensed professional counselor and licensed marriage & family therapist and is the founder and director of Tangible Truth Ministries and a co-founder of The Joshua Center, a faith-based therapy center based out of Northwest Arkansas. Dr. Goss and Susan are very active in the community and in sharing their faith and trust in God and have been active church members the 34 years they have been in Bentonville. Dr. Goss was elected to the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention and served on this committee from 2016 to 2020.
The couple have two sons, Chad and Jake, two daughters-in-law, Ashley and Mariah, two grandchildren, Adeline and Whit, and a third grandchild due in May.
In what ways have you professionally had to pivot during this pandemic?
What an incredible past 12-13 months it has been. The adjustment to making significant daily, moment by moment decisions without clear information was a tiring challenge but one that also let our team, providers and coworkers shine here at Mercy. For me, it was to give my team and leaders the space and confidence to express their thoughts and perspectives to come up with the best solutions we could in that ever-changing and fluid environment and then execute. It was battlefield conditions, and I’m so proud that I think we were battle ready and up to the task. Early on, the decision we made in the morning was often changed later in the day or the next – that is how dynamic the circumstances were. So, for me personally, it was being open – to all input, information, thoughts, ideas and opinions. And it was to help focus all of that into the best decision possible then support the team in delivering. At the same time, we were adjusting to how Mercy as a larger four-state health care delivery system was responding organizationally to the pandemic and its challenges. We converted to a Command Center format with daily Webex calls including all leaders from across the Ministry. The support from the Ministry was invaluable and helped allocate resources where they were most needed and gave us a focused source for information, problem escalation and support.
I was privileged to be asked by Superintendent Dr. Debbie Jones to participate in and chair the Bentonville Schools Reopening Task Force at the start of this school year back in the fall. It was a great experience to work with so many talented and committed teachers, administrators and community patrons. I believe the Task Force made excellent recommendations and kudos to Dr. Jones and the entire district for a successful year to this point under very trying circumstances.
Even though the pandemic isn’t fully behind us, it has been inspiring to see how resilient, competent, and hard-working our providers and coworkers have been while battling the fatigue, mental stress, and psychological pressure that has accompanied this period. And, they have accomplished this while living out our Mission and Values so inherent to who we are and try to be at Mercy.
How can people help Mercy health care workers during this time?
First, I want to thank our community for being so incredibly supportive and gracious to our Mercy coworkers and health care providers in general. The outpouring has been a real blessing and boost to all of us. So, I think the biggest help to our coworkers is to continue to observe the precautions to limit and reduce the spread of the virus. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Watch your distance. And now, get the vaccine when available to you. We also covet the prayers of our community. Things are obviously so much better now, but people are still getting infected with COVID-19 and there are those that still succumb to it. Stay vigilant as we continue to drive down the incidence and work toward “normality.”
Favorite quote:
Oh, several.
“Act your way to a feeling. Don’t feel your way to an action.”
My dad used to say, “Plan your work and work your plan.”
Back in the day, I used to drop my boys off at school and left them with this quip as they were leaving the car, “Think, listen, have fun, live for God.”
And then this scripture, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
What do you do when you’re not working?
I love gardening and working on our land; basketball, especially following the Razorbacks; and spending time with my wife, my sons and their wives, and my grandkids. I don’t get to listen as much as I want right now but I love music – OK I’ll admit it, we really like watching “American Idol” and “The Voice.”
Best time of day for you:
Late evening
What books are on your bedside table?
The Bible, “Big Potential” by Shawn Achor and “Permission to Speak Freely” by Doug Crandall and Matt Kincaid
For more information about Mercy, visit www.mercy.net.