University of Iowa Health Management & Policy

Hi all!  My name is Claire Schaefer, and I am the summer administrative intern with the Chief Medical Office team at the University of Iowa Health Care. My preceptor is Greg Kirkman, Service Line Director of Adult Inpatient Operations. I write this blog as we begin Week 7 of our 10-week internship, which feels crazy—I guess time flies when you are learning so much!  This position has presented me with opportunities to observe and participate in valuable initiatives taking place within UIHC. More specifically, some of my biggest projects this summer have lied within one of UIHC’s six priority areas within our strategic plan: Access. Length of stay is a measurement of access for Iowans and beyond treated here at the U.  Over the past several weeks, I have attended morning throughput huddles across various inpatient units. I audit these conversations to better understand how providers are collaborating to discharge our medically ready patients. At this stage, we are working ...

Hello from the Des Moines metro! This summer I’ve had the amazing opportunity to be the  Administrative Intern for ChildServe at the main location in Johnston! ChildServe is the first  and only children’s specialty hospital in Iowa, helping over 6,000 kids with special healthcare  needs a year across five locations live a great life. ChildServe offers complex medical care,  pediatric rehabilitation, autism and behavioral health, and community-based services. This summer I’ve worked closely with my preceptor Kelly Pearce and 2026 MHA program  graduate, Aidan Cunningham who is the current fellow! One project that Aidan and I have been  working on is the development of ChildServe’ s student opportunities and expansion of  educational programming. This project has involved analyzing our current operating systems,  creating a document repository, identifying new opportunities and creating a standardized  experience for all students who come to Chi...

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 ...

  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...

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...

  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 ...