Colleague Spotlight
February 25, 2024
Chief Medical Officer Brandon Francis, MD
Brandon Francis, MD, MHP, returned to Trinity Health Grand Rapids as Chief Medical Officer in May 2022. Dr. Francis previously spent part of his career as a neurointensivist on the Neuro Critical Care team for Mercy Health Saint Mary’s from 2016−2019.
In February 2024, Dr. Francis was interviewed about his career and personal journey. This is what he shared:
How did you get interested in health care?
When I was, I don't know, eight or nine, we lived in a small town in Connecticut. It was very, very close to Christmas and my mom got very sick. My dad woke me up and said we needed to take her to the hospital. We got her to the hospital and the doctors I met – they were not very nice. They were completely disinterested.
Finally, a new doctor came in. They must have switched a shift or something and he said, “Oh, we need to treat her right away.”
Well, it turns out she had an ectopic pregnancy. I now understand that can be a life-threatening condition – you take care of it right away. She came back from surgery and started waking up after the anesthesia.
I remember sitting next to her bed and I was old enough to know that something wasn't right. I knew, back then, if you were a Black woman with belly pain, it wasn’t that important. But it was important, and I remember telling my mom this and being so upset. She said to me, “Brandon A. Francis, you have a choice. You can either complain about it or do something about it.” At that moment, I decided I would be a physician and never let someone else feel the same way my mom and I felt.
How long have you been with Trinity Health?
My first round at Trinity Health was (for) three years. I then took a three-year hiatus. I left for family reasons. I came back because of Matt (Biersack), his leadership and the culture here at Trinity Health. It's a special place and I want to be a part of it.
What motivates you?
Doing the right thing for the right reasons.
Who has been an inspiration in your life?
My mother. She was a special person. She passed just this past October – a wonderful, wonderful woman. She was a manager for SNET (Southern New England Telecommunications) – what we now think of as AT&T. She was a manager at a time when Black women didn't do that. She also owned her own business and that wasn't something that was done in Connecticut, at least not in our area.
My uncle Steve was one of the first ten African American pilots who flew commercial. He recently retired. He received his pilot training in the military. Uncle Steve was a senior captain for US Air. He went military because he knew that if he was military trained, they couldn't say he wasn't trained well enough.
What is your favorite part of the workday?
That's a tough one. I really like the time that I get to round with and see people in the hospital. It's funny, I do some of my rounding at night though, because I'm there in evening sometimes. I live in Ann Arbor, and I commute, so some days, I stay overnight.
When I can, I'll come in at night and say hello to people. I just walk around because if you want to see how a hospital runs, go at night. So, if I can walk around and see them and connect with them, that's meaningful to me. During the daytime, I just don't get as far because there are so many people, we just end up talking.
Rounding is probably my favorite time during the workday.
What are your favorite recreational activities?
I'm finally recovering from an Achilles injury (basketball) from about a year ago. I'm just now getting back to two of my favorite hobbies – Judo and Jujitsu.
I haven't stepped on the basketball court yet, except against my six-year-old son. He gives me all I can handle. I love to cook and bake, and I started taking piano lessons.
In February 2024, Dr. Francis was interviewed about his career and personal journey. This is what he shared:
How did you get interested in health care?
When I was, I don't know, eight or nine, we lived in a small town in Connecticut. It was very, very close to Christmas and my mom got very sick. My dad woke me up and said we needed to take her to the hospital. We got her to the hospital and the doctors I met – they were not very nice. They were completely disinterested.
Finally, a new doctor came in. They must have switched a shift or something and he said, “Oh, we need to treat her right away.”
Well, it turns out she had an ectopic pregnancy. I now understand that can be a life-threatening condition – you take care of it right away. She came back from surgery and started waking up after the anesthesia.
I remember sitting next to her bed and I was old enough to know that something wasn't right. I knew, back then, if you were a Black woman with belly pain, it wasn’t that important. But it was important, and I remember telling my mom this and being so upset. She said to me, “Brandon A. Francis, you have a choice. You can either complain about it or do something about it.” At that moment, I decided I would be a physician and never let someone else feel the same way my mom and I felt.
How long have you been with Trinity Health?
My first round at Trinity Health was (for) three years. I then took a three-year hiatus. I left for family reasons. I came back because of Matt (Biersack), his leadership and the culture here at Trinity Health. It's a special place and I want to be a part of it.
What motivates you?
Doing the right thing for the right reasons.
Who has been an inspiration in your life?
My mother. She was a special person. She passed just this past October – a wonderful, wonderful woman. She was a manager for SNET (Southern New England Telecommunications) – what we now think of as AT&T. She was a manager at a time when Black women didn't do that. She also owned her own business and that wasn't something that was done in Connecticut, at least not in our area.
My uncle Steve was one of the first ten African American pilots who flew commercial. He recently retired. He received his pilot training in the military. Uncle Steve was a senior captain for US Air. He went military because he knew that if he was military trained, they couldn't say he wasn't trained well enough.
What is your favorite part of the workday?
That's a tough one. I really like the time that I get to round with and see people in the hospital. It's funny, I do some of my rounding at night though, because I'm there in evening sometimes. I live in Ann Arbor, and I commute, so some days, I stay overnight.
When I can, I'll come in at night and say hello to people. I just walk around because if you want to see how a hospital runs, go at night. So, if I can walk around and see them and connect with them, that's meaningful to me. During the daytime, I just don't get as far because there are so many people, we just end up talking.
Rounding is probably my favorite time during the workday.
What are your favorite recreational activities?
I'm finally recovering from an Achilles injury (basketball) from about a year ago. I'm just now getting back to two of my favorite hobbies – Judo and Jujitsu.
I haven't stepped on the basketball court yet, except against my six-year-old son. He gives me all I can handle. I love to cook and bake, and I started taking piano lessons.