In a monthly column beginning June 2 on the Tribune’s Opinion Page, Susan Page will keep the community updated on what’s going on with its largest employer and provider of medical services. She will also explore healthcare in general, a topic of interest to almost everyone.
What brought you to Pratt Regional Medical Center and your current position?
PRMC has been Page’s only employer since receiving her bachelor’s degree. She started in 1979 as director of medical records, and after a few years, went back to school to earn a master’s degree. After working her way through several positions and areas of responsibility, she was named president and CEO in 1993.
“I started here thinking it would be a good stepping stone in my career,” Page noted.
Her supervisor, then CEO Roland Walsh, encouraged and mentored her, and because of opportunities she was given at the hospital and her love for the community, she has stayed for 31 years.
What are your greatest challenges?
In a rural setting, professional recruitment and retention, including, but not exclusively of physicians, is a challenge. Typically those who stay are those who have grown up in small communities.
A second challenge is dealing with all the changes in Medicare, the hospital’s predominant payor.
What are the greatest rewards?
Page doesn’t hesitate — it’s the people she deals with on a daily basis — employees, volunteers and patients. She tries to get out of her office as often as she can, at least several times a week.
“You can’t solve problems sitting behind a desk, it’s listening to people that is the key,” she said
