Denis A. Cortese directs the health care delivery and policy program at Arizona State University, where he is a professor in the College of Health Solutions. He is also emeritus president and CEO of the Mayo Clinic. Before joining a Zócalo/ASU panel discussion about how different countries approach health care—“Should Health Care Systems Be National?”—he talked in the Zócalo green room about treadmill desks, his baseball superstitions, and beating the Phoenix heat.
If you could eliminate one unhealthy habit in America, what would it be?
Lack of exercise. The number-one thing to do if you want to improve health is to institute exercise as a routine.
Phoenix’s temperatures routinely crack triple digits. What’s one trick you have for staying cool?
Get out of here in the summer. Being retired, I can do that. The other is swimming. Otherwise you’ve got to do your exercise inside.
Do you do any extreme sports?
I don’t do anything like that. I do skiing, sailing, kayaking, and floating down the Rio Grande. Probably the most extreme thing I do would be mountain biking. Once you run into a cactus, you think you’ve done extreme.
What’s the best meal you’ve had recently?
Clams and spaghetti, made by my wife. She’s the very best cook.
Do you have any pets?
I’ve always had dogs. I have a dog now, Maggie. She’s about 6 years old. She’s a rescue dog.
Do you have any superstitions?
Not really. But I played baseball for quite a long time, and one is you never wash your hat or your clothes or anything if you’re in a slump. It won’t work, though. I guarantee it.
You got your medical degree at Temple University in Philadelphia. What’s one thing you miss about Philly?
I miss the history. The food is great there. My wife and I were married nearby. Otherwise, probably not too much.
What’s your opinion of standing desks?
I’ve had a standing desk in my offices ever since 2000. And now I have a treadmill desk.
When’s the last time you sang in public?
In front of my kids and stuff, probably a couple months ago. But the last time I truly sang in front of the public was in junior high school or early high school, when I sang in choir. I wasn’t very good, so I stopped.
What’s the last road trip you went on?
We go up to Taos, in New Mexico, a lot. It’s about an eight-hour drive. And we drive to California.