Summer Internship: Saint Luke's Health System

By: David Gast (MHA ’18)

Greetings from Kansas City!

This summer I am interning with Saint Luke’s Health System in Kansas City, Missouri. Saint Luke’s Health System is comprised of 10 hospitals and numerous clinics, physician offices, and other non-acute facilities throughout the Kansas City metro and surrounding counties. The system has been serving the health needs of the region since the first Saint Luke’s hospital was founded in 1882. The campus where I am located serves as the flagship entity of the system, and is located on the edge of the Plaza district in Kansas City. Saint Luke’s campus also contains Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, the nation’s first heart hospital.

My position is within the Project Management Office (PMO), located at Saint Luke’s corporate headquarters. The PMO consists of a mix of nine consultants and analysts, with each member having earned their MHA or MHSA. I have really enjoyed my time getting to know the team, and am currently working with members of the PMO on numerous system-wide efforts ranging from value acceleration to the system’s patient transport team. In speaking with my preceptor prior to the internship, I was notified early and often that this position would be rooted in analytical duties. I have had the opportunity to utilize various analytical applications on a daily basis, including Truven’s Action OI and McKesson’s Explorer products.

While this exposure to analytical tools has been one of the most beneficial aspects of my internship, I have also relished the opportunity to join my preceptor and PMO members in discussions throughout the health system. The PMO’s location has presented me with opportunities to attend meetings in the corporate office as well, which has allowed me to gain additional experience with the system’s supply chain and decision support departments.

Outside of meetings in the health system, I have been able to revisit some of my favorite Bar-B-Que spots in Kansas City during weekly “meatings” with friends from high school and college. It certainly seems that our class is experiencing some great opportunities across the nation, and I look forward to continuing to read updates from my fellow classmates! 

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