'I Became Deputy Chief Physician at 23'

Nadezhda Teltsova, a graduate of the Master's in Health Care Administration and Economics, is the youngest deputy chief physician in the history of Sechenov University. She oversees activities funded from non-governmental sources at University Clinical Hospital No. 5. In this interview with Success Builder, she talks about stereotypes in healthcare, the growing popularity of sanatoriums among young people, and her love of horses.

— Your position is Deputy Chief Physician for extra-budgetary operations at Sechenov University Clinical Hospital No. 5. Is your work closer to academia or to clinical practice?

— Since medical education is largely practice-based, Sechenov University functions as both an educational institution and a healthcare provider. Its clinical centre is the largest clinical base not only in Russia but also in Europe, comprising five university hospitals as well as several major facilities comparable to full-scale hospitals in both size and functionality.

I work at University Hospital No. 5, the newest of the university hospitals, which includes Bykovo Medical Centre and Zvenigorod Sanatorium. Our focus is relatively narrow, centring on sanatorium care and medical rehabilitation.

— What is your role there?

— My responsibilities span several areas at the intersection of management, economics, and regulation. My primary task, however, is to increase extra-budgetary revenues—that is, funding from non-governmental sources. The hospital has several funding streams, including government budget allocations, compulsory medical insurance, and direct payments from patients. Expanding this latter area is my main responsibility and a key performance indicator—and we have achieved strong results: in its first year of operation, Bykovo Medical Centre recorded growth of over 200% in revenues from non-governmental sources. At Zvenigorod Sanatorium, revenues increased by 23% in the first year and by a further 42% in the second.

— Could you tell us about your achievements beyond the numbers?

— To start with, our Zvenigorod Sanatorium sits on a sizable 18-hectare property. In recent years, several new buildings were constructed there, including one with a significant number of rooms that needed to be filled. I was able to secure several key clients for them. One of these clients is the Olympic Reserve School, which enrols talented children from across Russia and trains them as professional athletes while they continue their education. These young athletes now stay with us on a permanent basis, and we have been collaborating with the school for three years. The arrangement is convenient for the school, and it has also allowed us to significantly boost our extra-budgetary revenues.

A year ago, we completed the construction of a bowling centre at the sanatorium. This initiative came from the rector of Sechenov University, who has always paid special attention to the sanatorium, and we greatly appreciate his support. It was his idea to make the facility available to Sechenov University students, and the university provided the funding for the project. In many ways, we do a lot for the student community. I would say Zvenigorod Sanatorium is to Sechenov students what Voronovo is to HSE students. Sechenov students come here for various events, vacations, and to improve their health. The bowling centre project, in particular, is a special story for me. I oversaw it at every stage—from the initial concepts and sketches to peeling labels off the inventory the day before its launch. It was stressful and nerve-wracking but also rewarding.

Today, the bowling centre has become more than just a playground for students—it’s part of our strategy to attract a younger audience. There is a modern trend where young people—Zoomers and Millennials—visit sanatoriums to relax alongside older generations. This younger generation takes a more conscious approach to their health, starting early with massages, physiotherapy, and therapeutic baths. They also have higher expectations for comfort and leisure than their parents. We are actively working to make Zvenigorod an ideal environment for them.

— Are there people in other medical organisations whose roles are similar to yours?

— Yes, although their positions may go by different titles—such as commercial director or head of development. My story differs less in the scope of responsibilities than in my managerial trajectory: I became Deputy Chief Physician at the age of 23, which is a record for Sechenov University. The previous record was held by my supervisor, Alexey Kovalenko (now the Chief Physician of University Clinical Hospital No. 5), who was appointed Deputy Chief Physician of University Clinical Hospital No. 1 at 26.

— Alexey, whom you nominated in one of the HSE Alumni Award categories, is a healthcare professional, correct?

— Yes, he is a surgeon. While already serving as a chief physician, he enrolled in the HSE Master’s Programme in Health Administration and Economics, supervised by Prof. Sergey Shishkin. That is where I met Alexey. What makes his case unique is that, despite holding a senior leadership position, he deliberately chose to address the knowledge gap that often arises when medical professionals transition into administrative roles. In most cases, chief physicians acquire management skills through trial and error rather than through structured education.

Traditionally, the position of chief physician is held by a healthcare professional—someone who has spent many years learning how to treat patients. Yet once appointed, they largely stop practicing medicine, as most of their time is taken up by financial, personnel, infrastructure, and process management. In effect, a clinician enters an administrative position as a strong medical specialist but is expected to function as a professional manager. I see this mismatch between the demands of the role and the existing administrator training approach as one of the key paradoxes of modern healthcare—and one that, in my view, must be consistently addressed.

— Tell us about your background. Where did you start, and how did you come to work in healthcare?

— I enrolled in HSE University's Bachelor’s in Public Administration, and at some point during my second year I realised that I wanted to work in medicine. I can’t quite explain why. Re-enrolling in a medical university, however, would have been both difficult and expensive, and I didn’t want to place that burden on my parents. So I began looking for another way into healthcare. From that moment on, I consciously started building my own path. I owe a great deal to my parents—they have always supported me. At the same time, I’m certain that my career path has been shaped by HSE University. After completing my bachelor’s, I enrolled in the Master’s Programme in Health Care Administration and Economics. I later completed a master’s at Sechenov University in a similar programme—classified there as a medical programme—so I have foundational medical training. I am now completing my doctoral studies at Sechenov University and preparing to defend my PhD dissertation. At our sanatorium, we are implementing the principles of a patient-centred approach to medical rehabilitation, which is the focus of my doctoral research.

— Is this closer to clinical medicine?

— It sits at the intersection. My work focuses on organisational changes that help improve patient satisfaction with the care they receive—in simple terms, on how to make patients feel better. At the same time, I’m also pursuing an MBA. There hasn’t been a single year when I haven’t written at least one academic paper.

— What does it mean to be a successful person in your own terms? And do you consider yourself successful?

— I come from an ordinary family, and when I look at the path I’ve taken by the age of 27, I do consider myself successful. My parents are power engineers, and they have always supported me and are very proud of what I’ve achieved. For me, success is about tangible results of my work that I can be proud of. I believe I’m good at bringing positive change into other people’s lives, whether they are patients, staff, or students.

— What was your first job?

— During my second year of the bachelor’s programme, when I was 19 or 20, I took a job at Prof. Evgeny Yasin’s office. I saw the vacancy in HSE University's internal mailing list and applied. It was, of course, a wonderful time. I had always admired Prof. Yasin and consider myself very fortunate to have worked with him. I helped organise his seminars, and one of the first was with Prof. Shishkin. I remember thinking at the time, 'How lucky I am to see all of them and have the chance to meet them.' At the time, I shared my desire to enrol in the Health Care Administration and Economics programme with Prof. Igor Sheiman, and he replied, 'We’ll be waiting for you—definitely come.' I won’t deny that luck played a part, but this master’s programme became my gateway into medicine, because it was there that I met my future supervisor.

— Were you able to go straight into healthcare?

— No, of course not. There was a very active period between my work at Prof. Yasin's office and joining the sanatorium. Initially, on the recommendation of Igor Razumov, with whom I had worked for Prof. Yasin, I was invited to the organising committee of the Krasnoyarsk Economic Forum. In the end, the forum didn’t take place because of the pandemic, but the four months of preparation were incredibly intense. We were also developing COVID-19 support measures for all branches of small and medium-sized businesses, which gave us the chance to meet people from the creative industries, IT, construction, and many other fields. Later, we were able to work on a project for a private healthcare company.

— What character traits are important for someone to succeed in your position?

— The first thing that comes to mind is flexibility—or, more precisely, adaptability. Healthcare is a complex environment: it is both conservative and highly regulated, and one needs to understand that. More often than not, it’s you who has to adapt to the system, rather than the system adapting to you. On the business side, everything is also highly regulated, with numerous laws we must comply with. There are many situations that arise at the intersection of business interests and government requirements, and you have to be able to adapt quickly—without moral distress or complaining, 'Why does it have to be so complicated?' That’s simply how it is, and you learn to handle it.

— What else, besides flexibility?

— One also needs to understand that healthcare is all about communication. I spend most of my working day talking with patients, their families, and doctors—listening, explaining, and trying to persuade. People who cannot communicate effectively are unlikely to succeed. And third, a fairly standard requirement, is the ability to perform under stress.

— How do you relieve stress?

— I love horses. At the beginning of this year, I found a stable near my home and have been going there twice a week consistently. It’s the foundation of my mental well-being: once you’re on a horse, you feel happy, and all your problems fade away. I’ve set myself the goal of buying my own horse, and I plan to make it happen within the next two years.

— Do you have other goals? Where do you see yourself in ten years?

— I would like to gain experience in private medicine. So far, all my work has been in public administration, which comes with stricter limitations than private business, and I want to implement my ideas on a larger scale. I also plan to defend my dissertation and reach this important milestone. I don’t rule out the possibility that I might be drawn to another field in the future, as I was drawn to healthcare at one point, but for now, there are plenty of opportunities for me to grow and make an impact in this field.