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Natalie Cargin - University of Iowa Health Care Ambulatory Services (MHA '27)

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Hello friends! My name is Natalie Cargin, and I am currently the administrative intern under Tom Mulrooney at the University of Iowa Health Care’s University Campus (MCU)! Tom is the Chief Administrative Officer of Ambulatory Services throughout the enterprise, covering MCU, MCD, MCNL, IRL, and Community Clinics. Throughout my internship, I have spent a lot of time shadowing Tom, getting a front-row seat to all the amazing work he does for UI Health Care. This has allowed me to meet people from all throughout the organization, from the executive team to frontline staff. I have also had the opportunity to sit in on countless meetings, learning about everything going on in the ambulatory world.  Some of my most valuable experiences have been working on business plans for large capital projects, developing a governance meeting structure for department leadership, and shadowing several clinic managers to learn about day-to-day operations in different settings. I also was able to watch ...
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Brinda Vittal - ECG Management Consultants (MHA '27)

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  Hello from Chicago! My name is Brinda, and this summer I’ve had the opportunity to intern with ECG Management Consultants, a healthcare consulting firm that works with hospitals, health systems, pharmaceutical companies, and physician groups. I’m based in ECG’s Chicago office, where I’m part of the Health Systems Performance team. I work closely with project teams to support financial modeling and data analytics for client engagements. My preceptor, Katie, has been an incredible mentor throughout the summer. She’s helped me build both the technical and interpersonal skills needed to succeed in consulting, while giving me the opportunity to take ownership of meaningful client work. I’ve contributed to financial models in Excel, developed client-facing documents, and created presentations. One of my primary projects has been an overnight staffing assessment for a health system in Colorado. I analyzed whether the health system’s OB/GYN department had sufficient overnight provider co...
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Margo Maynard - University of Iowa Healthcare - Downtown Campus (MHA '27)

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Hello!  My name is Margo Maynard, and I am a summer administrative intern at the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Downtown (MCD)! The Downtown Campus is a 234-bed hospital that became part of UIHC on January 31, 2024. MCD serves as a community hospital providing care to individuals and families throughout the Iowa City area.  This summer, I am working under Jennifer Miller, the Chief Administrative Officer here at MCD. I have had the opportunity to spend time with leaders and frontline staff across many departments to better understand the operations of a community hospital and the important role each team plays in delivering high-quality patient care.  I’ve participated in a variety of quality improvement initiatives, including glucose monitor testing and Environment of Care (EOC) rounding. I’ve also assisted with safety and security projects, including work on policy development and updates. In addition, I’m working with the Associate Director of Strategy o...
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Ben Brimacombe - Aspirus Health (MHA '27)

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  Hello from Wausau, Wisconsin! This summer, I had the amazing opportunity to spend the summer with Aspirus Health at its flagship Wausau campus. It serves as the major referral and tertiary care center across northern and central Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. My time was spent with the hospital's Chief Operating Officer (COO), Andy Barth, and the Hospital Executive Team. Aspirus Health is a not-for-profit health system comprising 18 hospitals and 130 clinics in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota. Aspirus Wausau Hospital is a 325-bed hospital that continues to evolve as it recently broke ground on a massive $227 million expansion project. Once completed in 2028, it will add 48 intermediate care beds and a 16-bed observation unit.  Throughout the summer, I had the opportunity to work on multiple projects that focused on improving processes, care coordination, and patient outcomes within the dental service line. My first project involved creating a standardized ...
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Ellie Dawson - University of Iowa Healthcare: Finance and Accounting Services (MHA '27)

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Hello from Iowa City! This summer, I have had the wonderful opportunity to be one of two interns with the Finance and Accounting Services (FAS). The Health Case Support Services Building (HSSB), where I have worked these past few weeks, is located in Coralville, Iowa, and houses many of UIHC's support services. Beth Jaggers is my main preceptor, but I also report to Cameron Doolady, Megan Yilek, and Kate Klefstad. They have all been great mentors who have helped me further my learning this summer.  I have been able to work on projects spanning a wide variety of topics, but my two main focus areas are in value-based care and professional billing. One of the projects I worked on (and will continue) was keeping quality metrics up to date that support the Medicaid Directed Payments. These metrics determine the reimbursement UIHC receives for providing care linked to them. Keeping these metrics at or above the set goals is one way the organization works to better care for patients....
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Christine Isaac - HOPCo (MHA '27)

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  Greetings from Phoenix, AZ! A few months ago, I packed up my life (minus my cat) and moved nearly 1,500 miles away to Phoenix for the summer. This summer, I am completing my administrative internship with Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo), a healthcare organization focused on transforming musculoskeletal care through integrated delivery models, data, analytics, and value-based care. I came to Phoenix hoping to better understand healthcare administration in practice. Instead of simply observing it, I have been given the opportunity to participate in it. One of the most valuable lessons I have learned is that healthcare administration is not always about having the answer. More often, it is about asking the right questions. I’m reporting to you all with over 13 projects under my belt. The most meaningful part of my internship has been the level of trust I have been given. I have not spent the summer simply shadowing or completing hypothetical assignments. I have been ...
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Alex Peterson - WinnMed (MHA '27)

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Hello from Decorah!  This summer, I am enjoying an amazing opportunity with WinnMed in Decorah, Iowa. WinnMed is a large critical access hospital located in northeastern Iowa, and it serves many patients in the region as well as in southern Minnesota. WinnMed is expanding rapidly and has recently brought many new providers and supporting staff on board. Additionally, they just completed a major expansion project called “Transforming Tomorrow,” which involved new construction and increased clinic capacity. My preceptor for this experience is Steve Slessor, CAO. He is an Iowa MHA alum and an executive-in-residence for the program. Working with Steve and the rest of the senior leadership team is absolutely wonderful. Each of them has a unique perspective, and they come together to form a strategic team that exceeds its goals. I have learned so much about rural hospital operations, and I know I will only continue to grow in my next 5 weeks at WinnMed. I am in the 7th week of the inter...
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