Summer Internship: Mercy Hospital (Ada, OK)

By: Zach Brennan (MHA ’18)

Hello from Ada, Oklahoma!

This summer I am interning at Mercy Hospital in Ada, Oklahoma. Mercy, as a system, was named a Top 15 Health System by Truven for the second year in a row. Mercy Hospital Ada is a 156 bed provider with 12 outpatient clinics in multiple specialties throughout Ada.

I am fortunate to be working under a fantastic preceptor who believes I should not only be working on projects throughout my time this summer, but also believes I should tour and work in different areas of the hospital to gain a new perspective on healthcare administration. So far, I have been able to work in Environmental Services, Food Services, Oncology, and Accounting. I have also had the pleasure of watching multiple surgeries in the OR, observing procedures in the Cath Lab, visiting with patients in pre-op, and much more.

My internship has given me exposure to many areas of hospital operations through my various projects. My work has included running a cost analysis on nursing overtime, developing a salary budget for each nursing department, implementing lean techniques into daily huddles, and more. One of my main projects is leading the expansion of our outpatient chemotherapy service line. With recent volume increases and lack of space to expand, this project requires me to determine how to best expand the hours of the clinic, develop a new staffing model, and assist in the onboarding and offboarding of oncologists.

Outside of work, I have enjoyed embracing the culture of Oklahoma by learning about Ada’s rich history of wild west cowboys, as well as the Native American culture by touring the Chickasaw Nation Cultural Center. I’ve also been able to enjoy Oklahoma City and the beautiful Turner Falls. I am looking forward to finishing out my internship strong and seeing my classmates back in Iowa City this fall.