This feature is part of our Customer Spotlight Series, where we highlight healthcare leaders who are driving meaningful change.
When Amy Mulcaster, MD, first arrived in the Pacific Northwest, it was the landscape that captured her heart. “It was so green and so beautiful – and it was February,” she recalls. But what kept her rooted in Oregon wasn’t the scenery; it was The Portland Clinic (TPC).
After training and practicing in Michigan, Mulcaster joined TPC in 2008. She was drawn not only by the organization’s mission, but also by the rare opportunity to build a practice within a long-standing, independent medical group.
“The Portland Clinic, as an independent group, afforded me the opportunity to build a practice that I loved. The community supports it, and word-of-mouth spreads quickly,” she reflects. Sixteen years later, she still cares for patients every Friday, maintaining long-term relationships with families who have trusted her for over a decade.
Leading with empathy and experience
Mulcaster’s years as an OBGYN taught her that medicine is about more than procedures. “In women’s health, so much of what you do is listen. That shaped how I lead – by being available, listening to my teams, and ensuring every voice is heard,” she says.
Her clinical background also instilled an urgency that she had to recalibrate in the boardroom. Surgeons are trained to act decisively, but organizational change requires patience. “Change takes time,” she admits. Instead of stepping in as a fixer, she has learned to facilitate, empowering her teams to surface and shape solutions.
The legacy of The Portland Clinic
Founded more than a century ago, The Portland Clinic is deeply embedded in Oregon’s healthcare history. Today, the organization operates five locations across the Portland metropolitan area and cares for more than 90,000 patients each year throughout the Northwest.
For Mulcaster, honoring that legacy means continuously reimagining how care is delivered. “We’re not practicing the same medicine we did 100 years ago. There’s so much more that we can and should offer patients,” she notes. Today, that includes deploying AI-powered coding, exploring administrative automation, and leveraging ambient listening technology to free providers from the computer screen.
“Technology should free providers so they can fully engage with patients. That’s how we transform care,” she emphasizes.
Creating a culture of care
Transforming healthcare is just as much about people as it is technology. Mulcaster acknowledges the challenges of workforce shortages and change management but believes culture can thrive when staff feel both supported and heard.
“Not every idea can be implemented, but it’s important that people feel heard and see some of their suggestions reflected in the solutions. That shared ownership strengthens culture,” she explains.
Her guiding “North Star” is ensuring every decision is evaluated through one lens: how it impacts patients. That philosophy extends beyond the clinical setting. Whether it’s smoothie carts, massage chairs, or on-site appreciation activities, small but intentional investments in staff well-being ultimately benefit patients.
On a broader scale, TPC recently created its first Chief Population Health Officer role to advance equity, prevention, and navigation for underserved patients. “We’re recognizing who needs extra care in our community and making sure access is there,” Mulcaster says.
Advice for emerging leaders
Mulcaster also carries a message for future leaders – particularly women. “Be creative in your path,” she advises. While the traditional medical training journey is important, she encourages clinicians to complement their skills in business, public health, or policy.
“There’s so much opportunity for women to be leaders. Don’t feel limited by the traditional path. Bring your unique skills and creativity into healthcare,” she says.
Hope for the future
Despite the well-known challenges in U.S. healthcare, Mulcaster remains optimistic. Collaboration among independent practices, accelerated during the pandemic, continues to thrive.
“That gives me hope. That we’re all rooting for the same thing: healthcare that makes sense, puts patients first, and is sustainable for the future,” she concludes.
