In his role as a consultant to physicians practices, health care plans and small hospitals, Kim Crandell has become familiar with many of the rural hospitals in Nevada.
He considers the South Lyon Medical Center one of the best, and said it is one of the few he would consider working for.
Crandell has joined the SLMC as CEO and Administrator starting of Feb. 2, replacing Joan Hall, who resigned effective Dec. 31 to become the executive director of Nevada Rural Hospital Partners.
Crandell formerly spent 10 years as the CEO and Administrator of Boulder City Hospital, and has worked as a consultant for the last four-and-a-half years helping to develop telemedicine throughout the state of Nevada.
While he said he plans to take several weeks to learn his way around before suggesting too many changes, Crandell said one of his goals is to help the SLMC develop telemedicine services.
Crandell said he is passionate about rural health care, and he said he believes some of the things he has been working on can benefit the local community.
“My personal belief is rural health is going to be enhanced by telemedicine,” he said. “We can bring services to the community they don’t have.”
Crandell said the SLMC already has the technology to offer telemedicine, but said the challenge is finding medical providers.
“If you don’t have a physician committed to it, it’s hard too offer the service,” he said.
Crandell said he plans to get to know the facility and the community better before proposing any operational changes.
“I’m going to do a lot of listening, a lot of asking questions and a lot of observing,” he said. “There aren’t any crises here, so it’s actually the first time in my life I don’t have to put out any fires.”
Crandell said he has known Hall through his work as a consultant, and he said he said she left the hospital in good shape.
“She molded the organization to fit the community here,” Crandell said. “They don’t have a lot of turnover ,and the staff is very stable, which is a good thing for a hospital. There’s a lot of very quality people who are good at what they’re doing, and for somebody in charge, it makes my job easier.”
Crandell he has a strong background in building budgets, so he said his immediate focus is to participate in the budget process and then see which services can be improved or added.
Crandell said he was familiar with the SLMC from his previous work throughout the state, and he decided to apply for the position after taking a visit to check out the community.
“I’ve consulted with other small hospitals and worked on projects, and I would say the South Lyon Medical Center is one of the top small hospitals in the state,” Crandell said.
“This is a nice facility, and they’re doing some really great things here.”
By Robert Perea
Reno Gazette Journal