40 years of working in medical centers, hospitals and medically-related positions in both government and nonprofit agencies. Responsibilities include: professional personnel selection and hiring, team building and staff-performance supervision; budget preparation and management; program design, implementation, and analysis; patient-and-family-centered supportive care; Supervised Federal regulatory compliance; coordination of CME training; developing of intra-hospital program coordination; organizing professional conferences; Public speaking and public relations, buildings and facility’s maintenance. 4 years as Albany County Hospital District Trustee.
The most pressing demand: A new skilled nursing facility * present 80-year-old facility past its useful life; Additional spending on it, unwise * Quality of care, low; 50-percent of Ivinson nursing discharges go elsewhere * completed a demographic analysis of future county need * Now working with a major corporation specializing in the designing and building of high-quality, state-of-the-art nursing facilities * Goal: Full spectrum from short-term rehabilitation, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care * Seek a nonprofit structure with local board of directors, with funds remaining in Albany not syphoned out-of-state * With progress over the past year, I desire to remain a trustee, to see this critical project through to its end.
Yes, I continue to support this, and the current expenditure stated in Ivinson’s financial report seems appropriate for ongoing support for all residents of Albany County that are unable to pay for their care. I also support the several Federal and State government programs for which residents may be eligible, paying for that portion of uncompensated care. Given that the Board of Trustees are elected by the citizenry of Albany County, our duty is to represent and look out for the medical needs of all, vis-à-vis Ivinson’s proven ability to do so. The mil levy only pays for approximately half the cost of uncompensated care, with Ivinson paying the rest from its funds.
All medical services provided by Ivinson are the responsibility of its 501C-3 corp.. The CEO, an employee of the nonprofit’s board of Directors, oversees day-to-day hospital management. The District (Albany) owns the hospital and all its property, leasing it to the nonprofit, with the elected Trustees overseeing this, together with the general medical interests of county residents. Within statutes pertinent to both parties, this arrangement has worked well. With Ivinson ranked among the top 100 rural hospitals in America (out of some 4000) I support its continuance. The aforementioned plan for a new skilled nursing facility is a function of the District Trustee’s overall health care responsibilities for the county.
Campaign Phone
3077662370
I spent a decade in psychiatric care, first on acute inpatient units, then managing operations at Mount Sinai, running an acute psychiatric division and an outpatient clinic. That work meant budgets, staffing, compliance, quality improvement, revenue cycle, and patient complaints, the same areas a trustee must understand.
In Laramie, I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice, I founded Laramie Therapy Connections, and I facilitate a free Dance/Movement Therapy Group with the Eppson Center for Seniors and the Collective Center for the Arts.
With an MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, I pair administrative experience with a clinician's focus on patient-centered care.
First, revenue. State property tax cuts will shrink the district's three-mill levy while uncompensated care costs rise. I would push for multi-year budget modeling so the board knows what it can commit to before it commits.
Second, workforce. High turnover undermines patient safety and experience scores. I would ask the operating board for public reporting on vacancies, turnover, and CMS quality measures.
Third, behavioral health. Albany County has too few options for people in crisis or needing addiction care. I would use the board's capital and lease authority to expand capacity.
Fourth, transparency. Less hospital information is public since the 2018 lease. Residents should be able to see how their levy dollars are used.
I support it. Federal law (EMTALA) requires our emergency department to stabilize anyone regardless of ability to pay, and Wyoming law requires the district to reimburse that care from the levy.
What I would sharpen is accountability. Ivinson's financial assistance policy is written locally, so its rules are local choices. I would ask for annual public reporting on levy dollars against uncompensated care, assistance approvals and denials, and screening before collections.
I would also review its exclusion of students, who are part of this county and our state's future. A county-wide levy should fund criteria the public has seen and discussed.
Charity care no one learns about results in bad debt with extra steps.
Less than most voters assume. The district owns the hospital's land and buildings, and since 2018 has leased operations to Ivinson Memorial Hospital, a nonprofit with its own board. UCHealth employs its senior executives under a management agreement. Trustees are the landlord.
But a landlord is not powerless. Trustees adopt the district budget, set the mill levy request, reimburse uncompensated care, oversee district property, and hold the lease. We meet in public and can ask questions on the record no one else can.
I would ask for regular reporting on quality, staffing, and charity care, and build a working relationship with the operating board. Influence comes from relational competence and asking good questions consistently, in public.
Campaign Phone
307-760-8777
I have been part of Laramie at WyoTech for 38 years and the Hospital for 20 years by being a Trustee, the Hospital Foundation Board and MC for the IMH Foundation Sportsman's Banquets that raises dollars for key areas including the cancer center. IMH has been important to me and my family as a vital organization that is so important for care to our neighbors, families and friend of Albany County.
The main challenges facing the hospital district is making sure we have a World Class Hospital for years to come for our citizens of Albany County and from around Albany County that count on our hospital. Being a good steward of managing
the mills that come to the hospital district. I will do these two things with my historical knowledge of being a part of the hospital district and helping navigate new challenges.
The voters of Albany County voted years ago to have the Mill Levy taxes be used to take care of Albany County residents that cannot afford care and I do stand by utilizing these mills for what the voters approved. It is important to take care of our citizens. If dollars are needed in another area, we would need to make sure the voters of Albany County would support the need. I will never stop fighting to make sure that those in our county that cannot afford care can continue to receive care at Ivinson.
The Trustees lease our hospital, clinic and cancer center to Ivinson Memorial Hospital. During our Albany County Board of Trustee meetings, we work closely with the Hospital management. The hospital management cannot close the key hospital service lines that were in place when our lease started with them without the Albany County Hospital District Board of Trustee's voted support. With that said that makes sure our hospital key services in Albany County will be here for years to come.
