Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Reimagining the Safety Net with Tesa Anewishki of Loretto Hospital
Mar 5, 2026
Tesa Anewishki, CEO and President of Loretto Hospital and long-time West Side leader, talks about preparing for Medicaid cuts while protecting access. She describes launching a hospital-based free grocery, deepening community partnerships, and investing in local workforce and leadership pipelines. The conversation focuses on rethinking safety-net delivery and advocating for sustainable funding.
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Family Roots Shaped A Safety Net Leader
- Tesa's family has run a major outreach homeless agency in Chicago for decades, which shaped her commitment to social services.
- She describes multiple family members in social service roles and personal experiences with healthcare disparities driving her mission.
Reimagine Service Delivery Not Layoffs
- Safety net hospitals must reimagine service delivery rather than defaulting to layoffs when funding shrinks.
- Tesa Anewishki argues partnering with larger institutions and community providers can reduce diagnostic wait times of 5–6 months and improve equity.
Use Local Partnerships To Reduce Wait Times
- Local collaboration can shorten diagnostic and treatment delays caused by capacity limits at larger systems.
- Tesa notes patients face 5–6 month waits for diagnostics; warm handoffs to community partners keep care local and timely.