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SRMC looks for new leader as interim holds down fort
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RIO RANCHO — The application process has begun for University of New Mexico Sandoval Regional Medical Center’s chief executive position, formerly held by Jamie Silva-Steele. In the meantime, an interim and chief operating officer for the hospitals are keeping an eye on things.
Interim Meaghan Carey Eiland and COO Michael Chicarelli talked about the transition during a July 22 interview. Chicarelli said the job has been posted and a replacement will be hired within a couple weeks.
“Jamie was awesome and has retired, and I miss her, but she was wonderful. During our transition, I had the pleasure of being able to spend a week with her as we started transition, and so she imparted everything she could to me in a week, and I took tons of notes. What we’ve done since then is just tried to stay the course,” Eiland said.
She added that SRMC wants to make sure patients are going to continue to receive high-quality care. “That’s the goal is to continue the awesome work that’s been done at SRMC,” she said.
In fact she stated, as reassurance to the community and staff that not much will change during this time.
“You don’t fix what’s not broken,” she said.
She referred to SRMC’s Leap Frog score card, which jumped from a “D” to a “B,” according to the scorecard. However, SRMC has room for improvement in areas such surgical wounds splitting open, patient falls and injuries, medication administration, handwashing, and staff responsiveness, according to the Leap Frog website. Chicarelli stated they are working toward the “A” grade.
Eiland, who stated she intends to apply for the executive position, has been with UNM Health for 24 years and says she has been working with the executive team at SRMC. Her interim position was not the first encounter she’s had with SRMC, one of Rio Rancho’s main hospitals.
“I’ve worked for (Chicarelli) for a really long time as executive director for the health system. So I’ve actually been coming out to SRMC for over a year now, working with the radiology team specifically. I had the opportunity to get to know people here and kind of know the processes and the beautiful building and some of the patients,” she said.
Eiland said the interim position is not without some challenges but that they are challenges that just come standard with the job.
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“I think our challenges honestly are the same challenges that we had before and the same challenges that every health care organization is facing right now. It’s an interesting time for health care with staffing and making sure we have the right services in the right places. I don’t think there’s any challenge specifically related to the change in leadership because there was such a strong leadership before that I was able to work with,” she said.
She added that getting more nurses and techs has always been a challenge.
For Chicarelli, Eiland was the right person for the job.
“Meaghan’s been on my team for for many years, and I look at it as a good opportunity to come out and keep everything nice, steady and stable, and she’s done a great job with that,” he said.
He and a team will be in charge of the hiring process, including interviews, for the new executive. He teased some of the expectations the hospital has for their next leader.
“I think it’s with any health care organization. As Meaghan mentioned, things are complicated and becoming more complicated by the minute. We want to make sure that we have someone that that looks at SRMC as what it is and that is a community hospital that is serving an incredible need for this community and beyond this community, frankly, outside of the county itself,” he said.
High quality and access to care are priority, according to Chicarelli. He added that Eiland has brought a positive energy to the team.
“I would say that the staff really warmed up to Meaghan,” he said.
Eiland has felt welcomed by the staff at SRMC and appreciates people’s willingness to work together to problem-solve and keep patient care in mind.
“It’s almost like a little family. We touch base every morning, and we go out and we do our own things and we come back together to ask ‘How did it go?, ‘What can I help you with?’ and that culture (that’s) pervasive throughout the entire organization,” she said.
Though Eiland intends to apply, she said she looks forward to seeing what other applicants bring to the table.
“I’m sure there’s excellent people out there,” she said.
For more information about SRMC, visit unmhealth.org. For the score card of the hospital visit hospitalsafetygrade.org and search for SRMC.
