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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

SPECIAL REPORT: Returning Chief

Jennifer Swenson became chief executive of Simi Valley Hospital on Aug. 17. Along with changes in leadership, the hospital is undergoing a transformation as the medical center upgrades and expands its emergency facilities. It was recently granted state licensing for a hybrid cardiac catheterization lab, the first of its kind in Ventura County. Swenson first came to the hospital in 2000 as controller. She left in 2004 to become chief financial officer and chief operating officer at St. Helena Hospital in Clearlake, Calif. In 2011, she became president of Fort Hamilton Hospital in Ohio, and in 2013 was named vice president at Kettering Health Network in that state, her last position before returning to Simi Valley. Swenson met with the Business Journal in her office at the hospital to discuss how her family experiences introduced her to health care, the interview process to become chief executive and why regulations take the fun out of her job. Title: Chief Executive Company: Simi Valley Hospital Born: Rhinelander, Wis. Education: Bachelor’s in business administration, Pacific Union College; M.B.A. from Ohio University in progress. Career Turning Point: Hired as controller at Simi Valley Hospital in 2000. “This facility launched my career on the executive track.” Most Influential People: Her father, Rodger Ratcliffe. Personal: Lives in Simi Valley with her husband, Grant; young sons Brandon, Devin and Ian; and their dog, Cody. Hobbies: Cooking, traveling, camping and boating. Question: How did you get involved in the health care industry? Answer: My brother, who is 18 months younger than I am, had cerebral palsy. He was born with that, and so he had to have physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy three times a week in Wisconsin. … I went with him. That was my first exposure to health care. What about the rest of your family? My dad was a minister, and our facility down in San Diego, Paradise Valley Hospital, had a church. He was the pastor of that church and held a seat on the board of the local hospital. I knew this was the career for me, because making a difference in people’s lives is what drives me and working for a nonprofit health care entity was the path that I saw for my career. Is there any connection between your father being a minister and you working at an Adventist hospital? Yes, Paradise Valley Church is an Adventist facility. What do you enjoy most about your job? I enjoy supporting our employees who care for others. It’s about being there for families when they need us at their most critical time, so we can make a difference in those lives every day. What is the hardest part of your job? Health care is going through major reform. We have shrinking reimbursements, we have more stringent regulations from the government and we also have higher expectations from our customers. We need to be top in quality and top in our experience for our patients. Meanwhile, you have to be able to have a financial model in place to support your continued presence in your community. That really is the challenge. How did you become chief executive of the hospital? That was a long journey. They put me through the wringer. The governing board was very much involved. They selected several candidates to be interviewed and screened, and from that point, we went to a smaller pool, where we were interviewed in different groups. I believe they selected their top candidates from those interview sessions, and from there, I interviewed with the governing board, the medical staff and the leadership team. Is it a big adjustment from Kettering Health Network in Ohio? It’s an adjustment coming back to California from Ohio. There are so many regulatory constraints here that you don’t have in Ohio. Just doing business, you have to be aware of those regulatory requirements. That was a challenge. But the weather is much better here. Who has influenced you professionally? That’s a hard one. As we go through the journey of employment and working for different organizations, you have many leaders that you encounter. I’ve had many mentors that have shaped my career, but, honestly, I would have to say that my dad is probably the most influential person who has helped get me where I am today. He passed away in 2001 from cancer, which was another experience that changed the way I view health care. I got to experience firsthand what families go through in dealing with cancer. One of my goals when coming into a leadership position is to make a difference in those families’ and patients’ lives. Cancer is not going away and it’s a very difficult disease. So hospitals have a very important role to play in that process. What are some of your favorite stories or anecdotes from being at Simi Valley Hospital? My son Brandon was born here in 2003. The nurse that took care of me that day is our OB manager today. My experience here was phenomenal. At that point we were not in the new tower; it was the old building. The people are what make a difference and our nurses here are just extraordinary. What are some of the issues and opportunities you see for the hospital? The community has grown and continues to grow. I think we need to look at this hospital and how we’re meeting the needs of the community. Our emergency department is going through an expansion project right now; we’re going to double the space. My hunch is we are going to have to come up with the next plan, because our volume continues to grow. What do you like best about your job? Working with people. What I told our new group of employees today is their jobs are to care for our patients and their family members, while my job is to care for them. What do you like least about your job? Government regulations, reimbursement decreases and health care reform. They kind of take the fun out of providing health care. They sometimes get in the way of what we really want to do. How so? There are many programs we would love to do, and I’m speaking generically as hospital administrators, but there’s no reimbursement tied to it, so it is what it is. You have to understand the rules and the playbook and be able to work within that. What qualities in your personality make you good at this job? I’m passionate about the community and the hospital. I’ve seen where we have come from and I also see where we’re going. And the best is yet to come at Simi Valley Hospital, I can assure you. Can you describe your leadership style? I’m dynamic, engaging and a team player. I can be a micromanager when I have to be, but it’s not pretty. I’ve been through many turnaround plans at hospitals. We have had to layoff positions and eliminate whole service lines throughout my career. Those are not easy decisions. But at the end of the day, if someone is going to do it, I want to do it and make sure that they’re treated right. What advice would you give to other people thinking about a career as a health care executive? Make sure that if you want to go into this career that you’re doing it for the right reasons. If you don’t have that drive to make a difference in people’s lives, it’s not worth it. Finally, how are you feeling after three months on the job? I am just so excited to be here and to be part of this community again. I’m excited to lead this stellar organization, and I don’t think Simi Valley Hospital has shined as bright as it’s going to in the future. This interview has been edited for clarity and space reasons.

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