AnnaVay Ellingworth (MHA '24): OhioHealth

 Greetings from Columbus, Ohio! 

I have been spending my summer in OhioHealth’s Corporate Human Resources Department and have absolutely loved my time in Columbus and with OhioHealth. OhioHealth comprises 14 hospitals throughout the state of Ohio with 30,000 associates and 5,000 providers. I am one of six administrative residents this summer and have had the opportunity to fully immerse myself in the OhioHealth family and culture. My preceptor, Sara Craig, is the Director of HR Shared Services, including the HR Resource Center (HRRC), the Associate Advocacy Center, Mergers and Acquisition Support, HR Compliance, and Leave Benefits. My focal point project has been creating and implementing an associate experience survey for the HR Resource Center. The HRRC is a team of 14 HR professionals who provide resolutions on a wide variety of HR-related inquiries such as policies, compensation, benefits, tuition reimbursement, and so much more. I have had the opportunity to utilize a lot of the skills and techniques that I have learned in my classes as well as develop new skills that I have already been able to put into action.

When I am not working on my focal point project, my days are filled with so many essential learning experiences both inside of HR Shared Services and within other areas in HR. One of the coolest experiences for me has been observing and participating in the process of integrating Van Wert Health into OhioHealth as its 14^th full-member hospital. I had the opportunity to sit in on integration plan reviews with all the functional areas and go onsite to tour the facility and sit in on meetings with the president and other leaders from the care site and the system. Another key experience for me was attending the Caresite Performance Close Review where leaders from every caresite across the system came together to hear about leadership and system updates and give dashboard reviews. I could write a whole book about all of the cool meetings and initiatives I have been able to learn about and be a part of! 

I am so thankful to be surrounded by such an amazing support system at OhioHealth that has really aided in both my professional and personal development this summer. My preceptor has served as such an invaluable mentor throughout my journey. Her unwavering support and encouragement as I step outside of my comfort zone and push myself have been so instrumental in my growth. The OhioHealth Resident Programming team has also played such a huge role in making this summer an amazing experience and has provided invaluable experiences. I really appreciate the cohort model and have loved getting to meet and get to know the other residents and learn about what projects and initiatives they are getting to be a part of this summer! 

Outside of work, I have loved exploring Columbus. I love the diverse and vibrant community and living in a bigger city with so much going on. Also, as OhioHealth administrative residents, we get “TAP” which stands for Time Away Pay, so I have had the chance to fly back home to Minnesota a few times without having to worry about taking time off of work!  I also spent time in Iowa where one of my best friends got married!

I am so thankful for my experience at OhioHealth so far and honestly didn’t even get to scratch the surface of the things I have been involved in and the people I have met and added to my circle. I have learned more than I ever thought I could about healthcare, leadership, and myself in such a short time. While I am excited to get back to Iowa City, I will really miss the wonderful connections and relationships I’ve built at OhioHealth!