University of Iowa Health Management & Policy

Hello from North Liberty, Iowa This summer, I joined the University of Iowa’s brand-new UI Health Care Medical Center in North Liberty, a state-of-the-art hospital specializing in orthopedic care, rehabilitation services, and community-focused emergency care. As the first administrative intern at this campus, I played a hands-on role in shaping core operations and observed the hospital’s journey from just after its initial launch into accreditation readiness.   I have had the privilege to work under Bryan Garter, who has welcomed me to the fantastic leadership team here at North Liberty. On my first day, we had just started Day 1 of the Mock Joint Commission Survey. Within this week, I was tasked with escorting the surveyors around and serving as the scribe for all potential findings. This week, I have developed my core project, creating and implementing Action Plans. These Action Plans were designed to support our leaders in addressing the Mock Joint Commission findings, as well a...

 Hi Everyone!! Greetings from North Carolina!  This summer, I’m interning at UNC Health in Chapel Hill, working with their Children’s Outpatient Clinics. UNC Health is a not-for-profit health system made up of 16 hospitals across 20 campuses and hundreds of clinics statewide. Their mission, to improve the health and well-being of all North Carolinians, is at the heart of everything they do. From day one, I’ve been welcomed with more kindness and enthusiasm than I could have imagined. The organization’s culture of compassionate care and collaborative teamwork truly shines through in every interaction.   I’ve had the opportunity to work under the guidance of Jessica Simo, the Director of Children’s Outpatient Services. She oversees eight ambulatory clinics in the region, which include primary care, specialty services, and even a rare genetic disease clinic for patients with MPS. She’s an incredible mentor and leader, and I’m learning so much from her experience and insight....

Hello from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine (CCOM) in I ow a City! Brenton, Ramiro and I completed LEAN training through UI Healthcare I’ve had the pleasure of interning with the Office of Statewide Clinical Education Programs (OSCEP), alongside my co-intern and incoming first year MHA student, Brenton Shrock, under the mentorship of Lynette Lancial, Associate Director of OSCEP and a proud UI MHA alum. Established in 1974, OSCEP is a department within the CCOM and plays a key role in coordinating community-based medical education and service initiatives across Iowa Brenton and I worked on the July education board in the CCOM building This summer, my main project has been developing the Iowa Medical Opportunities Directory—a statewide resource designed to support healthcare workforce recruitment and retention. To build it, I helped design and distribute surveys to hospitals, clinics, and private practices across Iowa, focusing on identifying open positions for physician...

  Hello from Decorah, Iowa! This summer, I have had the amazing experience of interning at WinnMed in Decorah, Iowa. WinnMed is a critical access hospital located in northeastern Iowa and due to its location, it is a hub for healthcare. It not only provides access to healthcare for Iowans, but it reaches to patients in southern Minnesota. WinnMed is in a rapid state of expansion and since June they have brought on a general surgeon, rheumatologist, and a dermatologist. By the end of the summer, they will also have a urologist and a new family physician starting practice. Additionally, WinnMed is in the late stages of a clinic expansion set to open in the middle of September. My preceptor for this internship is the CAO of WinnMed, Steve Slessor, who is an Iowa MHA alumni and executive in residence for the program. Working under him and the rest of the senior leadership team has brought me immeasurable knowledge on leadership and the daily operations of a rural hospital.  I am i...

  Hello from Iowa!                                                                                                         View from the HSSB patio, and the path I walk after lunch! This summer, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to intern with the University of Iowa Health Care, in their Finance and Accounting Services (FAS). Our team works out of the Health Care Support Services Building (HSSB) in Coralville. I have truly appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the essential role FAS plays in supporting strategic planning, operations, budgeting, and the broader goals of the organization. B...

Hello from Tomah, Wisconsin!                                                                                                Tomah's Health Hospital that they moved into in 2020 This summer, I have the incredible opportunity to intern at Tomah Health in Tomah, Wisconsin. Tomah Health is a critical access hospital situated in the heart of west-central Wisconsin, nestled between the major cities of Eau Claire and La Crosse. Its location makes it a vital healthcare hub. The hospital is affiliated with both Mayo Clinic and Emplify Health by Gundersen, creating a dynamic and collaborative healthcare environment that brings together top-tier medical expertise. My preceptor for this internship is Derek Daly, the CEO of Tomah Health, and a proud Iowa MHA alumn...

Hello from Minneapolis! This summer, I have the excellent opportunity to spend time at Allina Health as one of the organization’s Administrative Residents! Allina Health is based in Minneapolis, MN, but has 13 hospital campuses, over 60 primary care clinics, and over 100 specialty clinics in the Twin Cities and beyond. Allina Health delivers exceptional care everyday and is consistently recognized by U.S. News and World Report as having the top hospitals in the Twin Cities and Minnesota.  My 12 weeks with Allina Health are being spent specifically with the Continuing Care service line which includes hospice, palliative care, home health, rehabilitation services (inpatient and outpatient), senior care, community services, and more. Basically, any service needed after an acute care event, Continuing Care provides it! We have one of the top rehabilitation institutes in the nation, so seeing the level of care we provide has been so inspiring. I am very lucky to work alongside the leade...

  Hi everyone from Iowa City!   I’ve had a great experience so far this summer working as an intern with the Patient Access Center (PAC). The department is based out of HSSB in Coralville and mainly handles scheduling appointments for patients at UIHC. It’s split into two groups: PAC schedulers, who are non-provider staff, and ICC, which focuses on nurse triage. My preceptor is Keri Semrau, the director of the PAC and ICC, but I also work closely with other managers, including Michael Hesseltine (ancillary services), Neil Christiansen (operations), and Jen Boyd (nurse manager). We’ve been working on several projects aimed at improving workflow and productivity in the department.   One of the projects I’m currently working on is improving curbside provider-to-provider consultations. We’re tackling this from three angles: revisiting provider reimbursement, addressing legal concerns, and finding ways to improve the technology. This project is still in the early stages...

  Hello from Iowa! This summer I have had the amazing opportunity to work as the executive intern at Revology, located right in the heart of downtown Iowa City. Revology is a tech-enabled revenue cycle management company that works hard every day to help hospitals and health care providers to collect their earnings at a more efficient rate. With the help of the company’s AI system, Auxo, the team is able to bring a new level of innovation to revenue cycle management, giving me a great insight into how technology is advancing the healthcare field at such a rapid and exciting rate.  Alongside the company’s impressive technology and deeply rooted dedication to the revenue cycle, Revology has been built on a strong foundation of hard working team members that not only show up everyday to achieve amazing results for their clients and propel the company to success, but show up to support one another in every endeavor. Chris Klitgaard and Rachel Trevizo, Revology’s CEO and COO respec...