Laura Kremer (MHA '22): Washington County Hosptials and Clinics
This summer, I have been fortunate enough to spend the past nine weeks interning with Washington County Hospital and Clinics under the mentorship of their CEO, Todd Patterson. The organization aims to serve the rural community with access to care as a Critical Access Hospital.
A large portion of my project work has been dedicated to location and service expansion. I have been working closely with the CFO, Shelli Cleverley, to complete a cost analysis on expanding the current services provided within the hospital. Washington County Hospital and Clinics have been growing in their specialty and outreach clinics, and a significant portion of my role has been to evaluate the financial impact of expanding the existing clinical services, as well as the potential for adding new ones. In addition, I have been working on an analysis for expansion into a rural community and identifying not only the financial implications of opening a new clinic location but also the impact on community needs and strategic planning. In addition to looking at expanding the current services, I have also been a part of planning for future growth through researching and presenting land acquisition opportunities for the main hospital’s growth.
Another project I am working on is the accounts payable system. The current system in the hospital is largely paper-based. My role in the project is to work with the accounts payable clerk to scope the current system and look into purchasing an automated system that would be more efficient for the accounts payable clerk and reduce late payments on invoices. I have completed a process map and worked with the finance and accounting personnel to prepare a vendor search. In the next four weeks of my internship, I will be working with the Project Manager to select vendors for demonstrations of their systems and develop a plan for implementing an automated system into the organization.
One last project I have been involved in is updating the outdated travel and reimbursement policies for the organization. This includes working with the Compliance and Finance Departments to implement an updated policy that reflects the proper process and documentation for employees to be reimbursed for hospital-related travel or purchases.
This summer has gone by so fast! On the weekends, I like to visit with my family and friends back in my hometown. I also have two dogs that I spend time with walking on our local trails. In August, I plan to take a trip to Yellowstone in Wyoming and enjoy a few days of vacation before starting the school year.
*A Note From The Editor*
If you would like to keep up with Laura, you can find her here on LinkedIn!
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