A Day in the Life of a Hospital Administrator

Everyday can be busy, some more than others. Here’s a recent rundown of an interesting day in my life. It started as most do - a brisk walk with my dog Winston and dropping him off at that the dog sitter’s. Then it was on to my second Grinnell Chamber of Commerce Board meeting. Seems the Chamber was one of the last economic development boards I had not had the opportunity to serve on. So when asked by our relatively new (one year) executive director about my interest, I decided to give it a try. We passed our 2010 budget, approved new bylaws, and employee manual. It was a good meeting!

Returning to the office to catch up on phone calls and email, a never-ending job as I typically receive from 150 to 200 emails a day, not including spam. Next on the agenda was a meeting with our team working to get a new MRI for the medical center. It was a very productive meeting to plan our next steps and created a critical path of activity so that a final proposal can be presented to our board.

Next, I attended a luncheon with our new visiting perinatologist, Dr. Neil Mandsager and the obstetric section to discuss his new clinic in Grinnell. This opportunity came through our affiliation with the Mercy Health Network and we are excited to bring this new level of service to our community in the form of a bi-monthly clinic.

After lunch, I crossed to the other conference room for a meeting of our newly formed ad hoc task force on physician recruitment. This task force is made up of medical staff members and GRMC board members. On this day, we were joined by Dr. Daniel Vande Lune, orthopedic surgeon with the Iowa Orthopaedic Center, the IOC CEO, and a vice-president from Mercy Health Network. Currently, we have three days per week of orthopedic coverage while we are working with IOC to recruit a full-time orthopedic surgeon to Grinnell. We reviewed recruitment plans and discussed the addition of a new physician’s assistant, Scott Peery, PA-C, to work with Dr. Vande Lune in Grinnell and Pella.

Back to the office for some final board meeting prep (and more email…ugh) and a couple quick meetings with various department directors and VPs. At 5 p.m., the executive committee of our board of directors meets prior to the monthly meeting of the full board. The officers of the board make up the executive committee and Susan Witt, our board chair, leads the meeting. We have dinner together as the full board and then meet from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The time goes by quickly as we have a full agenda and lively discussion on most all of the topics. Besides approving both our operating and capital budgets, we also discussed progress with MRI project and plans for our Physical and Occupational Therapy department improvements.

The day was not done at 9:30, however. I hold open forum meetings with our employees on a quarterly basis. These town hall-style meetings include updates from me on important GRMC strategic initiatives, such as reports on our quality activities, our finances, and physician recruiting. There is also plenty of time for employees to ask questions, make comments, and voice concerns. Typically there are six to eight meetings over a two-week period at different times of the day and night. So on this day, the open forum was for the night shift. Because of the staffing levels at night, I move throughout the medical center going to the employees gathering around nurse’s stations in small groups. I always enjoy the night shift meetings.

On this night, I stopped in the ER first about 10:30 p.m. and then worked my way around the hospital. At about midnight I stopped back in the ER on my way out and noticed quite a lot of activity. I ended up staying for about an hour lending a hand to our staff as there were two critical patients and a helicopter was coming in.

Adding to the mix was a call from the fire alarm monitoring center following up on a system “trouble” alert. The security staff person and I discovered a sensor that needed attention that could wait until the next day.

About 1 a.m., things were well under control, the patients got the expert care they needed and I headed home. The 17- hour day, went by very quickly. Although I was certainly tired, I felt satisfied that GRMC was making a difference in the lives of the people we serve. And my dog Winston had a sleepover at the dog sitter on this particular day in the life of a hospital administrator!

Hospital Volunteers are a Special Group of People

What a wonderful way to start a Thursday! I had the delightful pleasure of “working” in The Glass Gift Box (our magnificent Auxiliary gift shop) this past Thursday as part of my routine of WalkRounds throughout the medical center. My first job was unpacking what seems like hundreds of candles. If you can’t find a scent you like at The Glass Gift Box, then there’s something wrong with your sniffer. I picked out a lovely “merlot” scented candle and can’t wait to light it next time I am enjoying a glass of red wine.

They decided to run a special that day – spend $20.00 and get a $5.00 gift certificate - which seemed to stimulate a lot of activity. The shop was full all morning and it was fun helping the visitors and employees alike find something neat in the shop. Of course, I got the chance to interact with Kerri Olson (our Cracker Jack volunteer coordinator) and Cara Kenkel (our extraordinary gift shop coordinator). Both these ladies are delightful to be around (even though Kerri is a big Cyclone fan) and seem to really enjoy their work.

I also had the opportunity to interact with some of our amazing volunteers! There is nothing quite like a hospital volunteer. If you looked up “salt of the earth” in the proverbial dictionary, there you would find a picture of the GRMC Auxiliary. These folks give so willingly of their time, talents and resources. Since I started working at the Boone County Hospital when I was about 13 or 14, I’ve been around hospital volunteers. I simply can’t think of a finer group of people.

Thursday, Mary Jo Adams was working the register and helping to unpack merchandise. She works most Tuesdays and Thursdays…now that’s dedication! Pretty soon, Nancy Stoner came in. She’s new to town, said she was from Indiana. Imagine that, one of the first things she did was learn how she could help out at the local hospital. Then Bonnie Buntz came in, another one of faithful volunteers. Dot Zylstra stopped by with a delivery and Joe Allwood stopped to ask about his clinic route! I noticed John Martinek out front at the information desk and Jack Templeton was up in the surgery waiting area. Nadine Coots helped out in the cafeteria on Thursday and well, I could go on and on. The GRMC volunteers, along with the other thousands and thousands of people who care about their community hospitals enough to volunteer, I say a heartfelt and hearty THANK YOU! We simply couldn’t do it without you.

The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent GRMC’s positions, strategies, or opinions.

WalkRounds

One of the more enjoyable things I do from time to time is a WalkRound. I wrote a guest column for Healthcare Executive, (Nov./Dec. 2009) a magazine from the American College of Healthcare Executives, about the benefits of a WalkRound. A WalkRound is a walk in the shoes of my co-workers, learning from and helping with their jobs for a designated period of time.

In a recent WalkRound, I was with Beth, one of our housekeepers. She was cleaning in our inpatient unit when I had the chance to join her. She took the time to show me the process for cleaning rooms while they are occupied. I was impressed with both the efficiency and thoroughness of her efforts. After a few words of explanation, it was my turn to help. I put on a fresh pair of gloves and off I went. I didn’t need to introduce myself to the first patient as I knew the fellow. He was a little confused at first, but quickly caught on when I shared with him the value of a WalkRound. I dusted his room, cleaned the bathroom, and then dry mopped the floor. We chatted as I cleaned and I was pleased to hear his praise for the staff during his current stay. Soon enough I completed my tasks (not quite as quickly as Beth but I did try to be just as thorough.) I asked if he needed anything else and was off to the next room.

I spent the next couple hours working with Beth as she moved from room to room and then spent some time in the nurse’s station cleaning the break room. We made a trip to the laundry area to check on some special needs from the OR and then made a garbage run through the Healing Garden and cafeteria.

I told Beth my first job in a hospital was in housekeeping. As a 13 or 14 year old, I would clean the delivery rooms and operating rooms of the Boone County Hospital after school. My dad was the administrator at BCH. It was the first of many jobs there through high school and I worked at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics as a college student. Watching my dad enjoy his occupation and those early jobs in various departments hooked me. I simply love the complexity and soul of the hospital. Beth is a prime example of these two things. We have something like 150 different job descriptions at GRMC. We have people of all types, educational backgrounds, skill sets, talents, and interests all working together to deliver the best care possible. The complexity is obvious, but so is the soul. Hospitals are remarkable places because of the commitment of each of the staff members, dedicated to making a difference in the lives of others. That’s the heart and soul of every hospital. I am proud of the women and men that make GRMC special and it was my privilege to spend the morning with Beth as she reminded me the importance of thorough cleaning and the pride she takes in a job well done.

The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent GRMC’s positions, strategies, or opinions.

My Bucket List

Happy New Year! Many folks will be saying that the next few days. As the New Year tumbles in, we all start thinking about new beginnings and resolutions …which got me thinking about my bucket list.

The 2007 movie The Bucket List, starring Morgan Freeman (one of my favorite actors) and Jack Nicholson, did not disappoint viewers. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you probably know the basic premise: make a list of all the things you want to do before you “kick the bucket” and start checking those things off the list.

I made such a list many years ago. Then I lost track of it. I made another list three years ago with the goal of completing at least one aspiration each summer. Three years ago, I focused on starting a wine cellar. I have always enjoyed a good bottle of wine. It really is one of life’s truly simple pleasures. I did not want a pretentious cellar or even one with expensive wines I would never want to drink. I just wanted a place with good wine I could share with friends and family at any and every occasion. (That reminds me of another movie I want to mention—Bottle Shock. If you are a wine lover, this one is a must.) Creating the wine cellar led me to my first trip to Napa Valley, where I discovered some amazing vineyards and tasting rooms. I have some great friends in American Canyon and have been lucky enough to visit them several times during the past few years. And I am happy to report I was able to check the first item off my bucket list.

Me and my friends Sita and Michael at a vineyard in Napa Valley.

Last summer, I decided it was time for a Harley-Davidson, the classic American motorcycle. I had a motorcycle during college (Kawasaki 175) for getting around campus. I also used it at a church camp I worked at for seven summers. I have always kept my motorcycle license current, thinking maybe someday… Then a friend made this bucket list dream come true with a deal I couldn’t refuse…a 2001 honest to goodness, California Highway Patrol, Road King (minus the lights and sirens of course). Now I’m thinking I might need to add a ride through NAPA Valley onto my bucket list.

Me with my bike during Grill Day at GRMC with former board chair Pete Lahn, his HD Sportster, and board member Joanne Yuska.

Item number three on my bucket list was to learn to scuba dive. I have always loved snorkeling. Prepared with a PADI open water diver’s certification I was ready for my first dive trip. In 2009, I was fortunate to find a great deal in Cozumel at the Scuba Club Cozumel. It was of the most amazing adventures ever. As one of my fellow divers said, “It’s like you’re in the Discovery Channel.” It was fun meeting people with a common interest. You really get to know folks when you spend a few hours a day on a boat with them.

Photo of an Angelfish I took at about 40 feet deep while scuba diving.

The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent GRMC’s positions, strategies, or opinions.

Twas the Eve of a Blizzard at Grinnell Regional Medical Center

Happy Holidays from Grinnell Regional Medical Center.

If you are unable to view the video above, please visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FFMQSGiUvU

The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent GRMC’s positions, strategies, or opinions.

Guest Column: Debates Worth Arguing

Guest Post by Gina Fuller, RTR, director of radiology

The recent controversy surrounding when to screen for breast cancer with mammography has caused quite a stir in the media. The facts prevail. Mammography has reduced the breast cancer death rate by 30 percent in the United States since 1990. That is hardly a small number! GRMC has many successful stories of patients who identified breast cancer at stage 0 or 1, before it was detectable by touch. Those people understand and truly appreciate why mammography is important.

When to have a mammogram and how frequent remains a personal choice that you decide with the advice of your primary care provider. It always has been. If you are concerned about your risks for breast cancer, please talk with your doctor and schedule a preventive mammogram. Don’t let statistics and recommendations make the decision for you. Follow your instincts and seek out care when you have questions or concerns.

The American Cancer Society, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, and the radiologists at Iowa Radiology, who read our mammography exams, all agree that the benefits of mammography outweigh the risks of exposure to radiation or the anxiety of additional imaging. Experience has proven that.

Our new digital mammography unit offers the newest in mammography equipment and our radiologists offer the best in interpretation. We all must remember that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has only made a recommendation. This is not a rule! You are still in charge of your own health so please do so wisely! You have a powerful combination available to you at GRMC.

To schedule a mammogram, talk to your primary care provider for an order and then call GRMC's radiology department at 641-236-2355.

The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent GRMC’s positions, strategies, or opinions.

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Great story in today's Des Moines Register!