Ivinson Memorial Hospital: Changing of the Guard - Health Executive - RedCoat Publishing - Inside Healthcare

Expanding a rural community hospital is difficult enough that adding in a leadership transition seems unfair. But the people at Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie, Wyo. were up for the challenge.

“The sense of community and the support for the hospital and physicians were what impressed me originally,” said CEO Carol Dozier, who came on board last October. She previously served as CEO at Flemingsburg County Hospital in Kentucky for two years, after 22 years with Indiana’s Porter Health System.

Carol Dozier, CEO

Ivinson was established in 1917 and moved to its current location in 1973. The citizens of Laramie voted to create a hospital district in 1968, which paved the way for the funding of the new building.

During the last few decades, Ivinson grew into a full service rural provider. This is despite the fact that the area hasn’t experienced much in the way of growth. As of the 2000 census, Laramie’s population was just above 27,000 people. In fact, Laramie’s home county of Albany has a population of only 32,000 people. The state capital, Cheyenne, is only an hour from Laramie, but even the largest city in the state has only 55,000 residents. This area of the country is the definition of the word rural.

But that doesn’t mean the population Ivinson serves deserves substandard healthcare. Given that the citizenry was responsible for the funding that created the hospital’s new building all those years ago, it is no surprise the people of Laramie have been at least partially behind the effort to bring the services of a tertiary center into their own back yard. Ivinson’s seven-member board is publicly elected. The board, along with hospital management and medical staff, is responsible for developing Ivinson’s strategic plans.

“That is how we determine our expansion capability compared to our financial ability, and then we make any decisions together,” said Dozier.

It was that process that led to the creation of the Meredith and Jeannie Ray Cancer Center in 2002. The center provides area residents with state-of-the-art medical and radiation oncology care without a long drive to Cheyenne. Ivinson’s decisionmakers also recently added a 64-slice CT scanner, digital mammography, and a new digital PAC system. The hospital is also in the process of upgrading its MRI equipment. Although Ivinson has to be careful it doesn’t grow beyond its means, there is clearly a commitment to bringing quality healthcare to rural Wyoming.

“We just have to make sure we bring in the right services, and we need to be realistic about our growth,” Dozier said. “With areas we are expanding, we need to be sure we are the best at what we do, and do it efficiently.”

Making it work
Financially, Ivinson gets much of its capital support through the IMH Foundation, a separate entity run by a board of community leaders and citizens. The IMH Foundation runs fundraising events and community outreach programs that raise money to support Ivinson’s ability to grow. There is even a committee specifically dedicated to raising funds for the cancer center.

Among other events the foundation runs are an annual ball, wine tastings, and a golf tournament. The hospital’s checkbook is also protected by its membership in the HealthTrust purchasing group, which saves Ivinson more than a million dollars per year on medical supplies.

Retention rates for physicians and nurses are a larger concern in rural Wyoming then they are elsewhere. This is even harder when you consider Ivinson is trying to create centers of excellence in all of its service lines. However, Dozier said Ivinson’s nursing recruitment has been bolstered by relationships with the University of Wyoming and Laramie Com-munity College. She also said the hospital found success reaching out to doctors who want to work in a fully loaded, modern hospital outside of a tertiary environment.

“We’ve shown our physicians they can be successful here and still have some degree of lifestyle,” Dozier said. “A lot of physicians have found Laramie to be a great place to live and raise a family.”

Dozier is also not alone as a new leader in Laramie. A new CFO started in January, and though it isn’t a new hire, Ivinson’s assistant vice president of nursing services was recently promoted to CNO. Although the changes at the top could have been unsettling, Dozier said the people in place when she arrived made the process as seamless as possible.

“We had good people in our leadership team already. They’ve been welcoming,” she said. “It has been a good transition, and now we have our new team in place.”

With new leaders at the helm and the continued financial support of the community, Ivinson is ready to continue the growth and modernization strategy that is already bearing fruit. Dozier knows Ivinson must invest in more infrastructure upgrades to its facilities. She also knows the hospital needs to keep up with advancements in medical and IT equipment. But even though her tenure as CEO is less than six months old, she already knows she won’t be left to carry the burden on her own.

“Being the only provider in town doesn’t mean we don’t have competition. We want to be the employer of choice,” said Dozier. “Our physicians provide excellent care, and our employees provide us the stability we need. We can’t be successful without them.”

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