RMCH'S new Ceo Gillis shares update

GALLUP - New Chief Executive Officer Wayne Gillis began working at Rehoboth Mckinley Christian Health Care Services Inc. last week. On Monday, he spoke with The Independing to update the public on the hospital's progress and transition.

Gillis shared the CEO transition process, some financial information, the search for a new chief financial officer and his philosophy to running a hospital.

It was Patten's plan to help the hospital transition, he shared that he told the RMCH Board of Trustees that he'd stay on as long as was necessary. During the overlap of Patten and Gillis, the two are working together to hand off a complex situation. Gillis is officially the new CEO, and is a direct employee of RMCH. Patten has stepped into a consultant role until his departure.

On Monday, Gillis shared that the kind of transition that RMCH has enacted is not typical of hospital procedure. Usually there is no connection between a former CEO and a new CEO.

A calling

Gillis was asked why he chose to work at RMCH despite the complex situation and role he's stpped into, "I felt called here, to be blantantly honest with you." Gillis said, "I have a strong belief, you know, I did not honestly expect that this would be where I would be coming, but God had a different plan. I explored all the stuff, every single thing, laughed, prayed about it and felt like this was a place that I could bring value."

Passionate

Gillis shared some of his perspective in running the hospital. He explained that as he started his career in healthcare as a nurse he was a vehement passion for patient care and appreciates being entrusted with patients care and vunerability.

"That's a massive big deal to me," he said, "and I will protect that and that will mean sometimes that I may push on people internally because if we're doing something that's not in the best interest of the patient, I'm going to push back because we have to do that and I feel like this place will embrace that and that's what matters to them are the people, the outcomes, our mission.... Do we have to be financially {responsible} so we can pay our bills? Absolutely, but we have to be balanced in how we look at things.

"We have to look at the people part, we have to look at financial performance but we also have to look at the safety culture, we have to look at what are we going to do from quality standpoint? Right?" said Gillis. "All those pillars have to be balanced and we have to focus on all of them. In some organization is like that. I feel like I can come here and do work that's meaningful. We can accomplish something good and it's lasting and we're making a difference that's not just for today but it's setting us up for the future for us to do bigger things for the community; I want to be part of that."

Update

In the most recent update from former CEO Bill Patten in May and June, he shared that the hospital was on its way to covering accounts payable, or debt. Patten said ther is $15 million for the hospital from House Bill 2 and Senate Bill 161 will give them $5.7 million spread over two years. Patten estimated that they can't access the House Bill 2 funding until after July 1 with the fiscalyear 2025 budget. Patten was confident that the funding planned that the hospital woould be able to cover all of their debt.

On Monday, Gillis confirmed that the hospital is on tract to cut down accouns payable to the $18 million that Patten cited previously and that funding from Senate Bill 161 may not be available until May.

When asked about money owed to McKinley County and the City of Gallup Gillis said there are payment plans previously put in place.

In more staff transitions, the hospital advertised for a chief financial officer. Former CFO Chris Dover left and Interim CFO Steve Miller has been with the hospital for about one month, according to Gillis.

The hospital is still in the process of transitioning their electronic medical record system. In May Patten stated that the start of the new system was not ready and needed to be configured for the hospital. On Monday Gillis said the hospital is working to optimize the system. It may not be completed until the third quarter of 2025.

Gillis said his information was limited by his only being in the position for one week and so he was not able to share information about why the New Mexico Department of Taxation and Revenue filed a lien against the hospital for $130, 402.

Gillis did share that the hospital has filed its 2021 990 tax form.