1 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:05,120 The most important health care decisions don't happen 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:05,779 in isolation. 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,179 They happen when leaders come together. 4 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,519 Becker's sixteenth annual meeting brings together more than 5 00:00:11,519 --> 00:00:12,559 3,500 6 00:00:12,559 --> 00:00:15,439 hospital and health system executives this April in 7 00:00:15,439 --> 00:00:15,939 Chicago. 8 00:00:16,535 --> 00:00:18,635 With 800 speakers from Ascension, 9 00:00:18,935 --> 00:00:22,135 Cleveland Clinic, CommonSpirit and more, the conversations get 10 00:00:22,135 --> 00:00:24,935 real. Leaders will share how their scenario planning 11 00:00:24,935 --> 00:00:27,574 for policy shifts, breaking through value based care 12 00:00:27,574 --> 00:00:30,510 barriers, and building clinical teams that translate new 13 00:00:30,510 --> 00:00:32,370 ideas into real world care. 14 00:00:32,909 --> 00:00:35,480 Join top decision makers in the room April 15 00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:37,010 13 through the sixteenth. 16 00:00:37,469 --> 00:00:41,789 For the agenda and event details, visit beckershospitalreview.com 17 00:00:41,789 --> 00:00:43,469 and click on the events tab in the 18 00:00:43,469 --> 00:00:43,965 upper right. 19 00:00:45,405 --> 00:00:47,645 This is Laura Duda with the Becker's Healthcare 20 00:00:47,645 --> 00:00:49,804 podcast. I'm thrilled today to be joined by 21 00:00:49,804 --> 00:00:53,085 Stacy Ann O'Koth, chief nursing executive officer at 22 00:00:53,085 --> 00:00:55,564 the Mountain Region of CommonSpirit Health. Stacy Ann, 23 00:00:55,564 --> 00:00:56,604 it's a pleasure to have you on the 24 00:00:56,604 --> 00:00:57,505 podcast today. 25 00:00:57,870 --> 00:00:59,729 Laura, it's great to join you today. 26 00:01:00,109 --> 00:01:02,850 Absolutely. Now I'm excited for our conversation because, 27 00:01:02,990 --> 00:01:05,310 you know, it's such a interesting and dynamic 28 00:01:05,310 --> 00:01:06,750 field in health care. And so to get 29 00:01:06,750 --> 00:01:08,829 a sense of how you've been able to, 30 00:01:08,829 --> 00:01:10,510 you know, pivot it and be successful in 31 00:01:10,510 --> 00:01:12,155 the last year as well as what you're 32 00:01:12,155 --> 00:01:13,995 doing to prepare for the future will be 33 00:01:13,995 --> 00:01:15,754 helpful. But before we dive into all of 34 00:01:15,754 --> 00:01:17,034 that, can you tell us a little bit 35 00:01:17,034 --> 00:01:19,375 more about yourself and CommonSpirit Health? 36 00:01:19,834 --> 00:01:20,334 Sure. 37 00:01:20,875 --> 00:01:23,275 So as you mentioned, I'm doctor Stacy Ann 38 00:01:23,275 --> 00:01:23,775 O'Kath, 39 00:01:24,130 --> 00:01:26,130 and I serve as the regional chief nursing 40 00:01:26,130 --> 00:01:29,349 officer for Common Spirit Health's Mountain Region. 41 00:01:30,290 --> 00:01:34,469 Prior to joining this wonderful organization 2025, 42 00:01:34,530 --> 00:01:38,204 I held various executive leadership roles in various 43 00:01:38,204 --> 00:01:40,204 settings from the East Coast to the West 44 00:01:40,204 --> 00:01:40,704 Coast 45 00:01:41,084 --> 00:01:42,865 and then back to the East Coast. 46 00:01:43,805 --> 00:01:47,185 Our region is vast. It encompasses 20 hospitals 47 00:01:47,405 --> 00:01:49,585 across three states, Colorado, 48 00:01:50,365 --> 00:01:51,665 Kansas, and Utah, 49 00:01:52,210 --> 00:01:54,609 along with about 250 50 00:01:54,609 --> 00:01:55,990 clinics and practices 51 00:01:56,530 --> 00:01:58,710 and 60 ambulatory care sites. 52 00:01:59,250 --> 00:02:01,510 I'm proud to lead a team of approximately 53 00:02:01,810 --> 00:02:03,030 6,000 nurses 54 00:02:03,409 --> 00:02:04,630 across our region 55 00:02:05,305 --> 00:02:07,064 who make up about a third of our 56 00:02:07,064 --> 00:02:07,965 entire organization. 57 00:02:08,745 --> 00:02:11,625 So we're focused on delivering compassionate, high quality 58 00:02:11,625 --> 00:02:13,644 care to all the communities we serve. 59 00:02:14,584 --> 00:02:16,824 Yeah. That's great to understand. And, you know, 60 00:02:16,824 --> 00:02:17,144 it's, 61 00:02:17,625 --> 00:02:20,030 so cool to see how huge your region 62 00:02:20,030 --> 00:02:22,909 is and especially, I know, unique populations, I'm 63 00:02:22,909 --> 00:02:24,449 sure, in every place. And so, 64 00:02:25,069 --> 00:02:27,709 you know, great to have that perspective. Now 65 00:02:27,709 --> 00:02:29,150 when you think about the last year or 66 00:02:29,150 --> 00:02:30,669 so, could you tell us about the most 67 00:02:30,669 --> 00:02:32,509 important initiative that you led? What did you 68 00:02:32,509 --> 00:02:33,729 do, and what were the results? 69 00:02:34,564 --> 00:02:35,064 Sure. 70 00:02:35,685 --> 00:02:38,485 So one of the most critical initiatives we 71 00:02:38,485 --> 00:02:40,825 prioritized in 2025 72 00:02:41,525 --> 00:02:44,665 really focused squarely on maintaining a safe environment 73 00:02:45,284 --> 00:02:46,825 for all of our team members. 74 00:02:47,669 --> 00:02:48,969 We know regrettably 75 00:02:49,430 --> 00:02:51,609 that health care workers are significantly 76 00:02:51,989 --> 00:02:53,769 more prone to workplace violence 77 00:02:54,150 --> 00:02:56,009 than those in most other professions. 78 00:02:57,109 --> 00:02:58,889 I'm leading our region's comprehensive 79 00:02:59,269 --> 00:03:01,209 workplace violence prevention initiatives. 80 00:03:02,465 --> 00:03:05,365 So for instance, this past year, we significantly 81 00:03:05,665 --> 00:03:06,805 strengthened our structure 82 00:03:07,264 --> 00:03:10,145 and approach by adding dedicated committees at all 83 00:03:10,145 --> 00:03:11,044 of our facilities, 84 00:03:11,985 --> 00:03:14,705 implementing enhanced tools for our team members to 85 00:03:14,705 --> 00:03:15,525 report incidences, 86 00:03:16,465 --> 00:03:19,800 and increasing our security leadership and protocols. 87 00:03:20,819 --> 00:03:24,199 This prevention program is designed to be proactive 88 00:03:24,819 --> 00:03:26,199 to identify risks, 89 00:03:26,580 --> 00:03:28,840 foster a culture of continuous improvement, 90 00:03:29,300 --> 00:03:31,800 and provide critical support to our teams. 91 00:03:32,485 --> 00:03:34,745 Because we understand that by doing this, 92 00:03:35,125 --> 00:03:36,025 we are fundamentally 93 00:03:36,405 --> 00:03:38,824 improving safety, not just for our caregivers 94 00:03:39,364 --> 00:03:42,185 but also for our patients and their families. 95 00:03:43,044 --> 00:03:45,144 A specific example of this commitment 96 00:03:45,599 --> 00:03:46,979 is how we're refining 97 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:49,060 our approach to visitor management. 98 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,719 We're piloting a new visitor management system across 99 00:03:52,719 --> 00:03:54,259 six of our hospitals initially. 100 00:03:55,199 --> 00:03:58,000 This initiative will strengthen our ability to control 101 00:03:58,000 --> 00:03:58,500 access, 102 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:01,060 particularly in sensitive areas, 103 00:04:01,495 --> 00:04:04,455 and ensure we consistently know who is within 104 00:04:04,455 --> 00:04:05,194 our facilities. 105 00:04:06,215 --> 00:04:07,915 This helps protect our caregivers, 106 00:04:08,295 --> 00:04:11,335 but it also designed to build trust and 107 00:04:11,335 --> 00:04:13,514 transparency with patients and their families 108 00:04:13,895 --> 00:04:14,955 regarding security. 109 00:04:16,370 --> 00:04:18,050 I love that. I I think it's so 110 00:04:18,050 --> 00:04:20,050 critical to have that type of focus and 111 00:04:20,050 --> 00:04:22,770 energy around making sure that the health care 112 00:04:22,770 --> 00:04:25,330 providers and team feel safe within, 113 00:04:25,730 --> 00:04:27,970 the the hospital and the organization. I I 114 00:04:27,970 --> 00:04:30,069 know that's something that so many different 115 00:04:30,625 --> 00:04:31,925 hospitals and systems unfortunately 116 00:04:32,225 --> 00:04:33,204 have to experience, 117 00:04:33,824 --> 00:04:36,144 for folks. And so, you know, it's cool 118 00:04:36,144 --> 00:04:38,165 to hear that you've got that structure strengthened 119 00:04:38,225 --> 00:04:41,425 and really are designing more programs around finding 120 00:04:41,425 --> 00:04:43,745 that risk and and making sure that there's 121 00:04:43,745 --> 00:04:45,365 improvement across the board. 122 00:04:45,939 --> 00:04:47,540 Is there anything from the last year that 123 00:04:47,540 --> 00:04:50,339 you found that worked particularly well or something 124 00:04:50,339 --> 00:04:52,899 that, you know, other organizations can should think 125 00:04:52,899 --> 00:04:53,399 about, 126 00:04:54,580 --> 00:04:57,879 doing similarly within their own systems? 127 00:04:58,814 --> 00:04:59,314 Well, 128 00:04:59,694 --> 00:05:00,194 absolutely. 129 00:05:00,574 --> 00:05:02,834 So the first thing is just making sure 130 00:05:02,894 --> 00:05:06,035 that they have a really good, visitor management, 131 00:05:06,975 --> 00:05:08,894 to make sure that we know who is 132 00:05:08,894 --> 00:05:10,274 in is in our hospitals. 133 00:05:10,894 --> 00:05:13,089 OSHA, that is one of their requirement, 134 00:05:13,709 --> 00:05:15,569 that we know in case of an emergency, 135 00:05:16,509 --> 00:05:18,589 we wanna make sure that we're able to 136 00:05:18,589 --> 00:05:20,750 rescue everyone in the building. And so that 137 00:05:20,750 --> 00:05:22,289 is a very important 138 00:05:22,990 --> 00:05:23,729 and basic, 139 00:05:25,004 --> 00:05:27,485 thing that all of our all facilities need 140 00:05:27,485 --> 00:05:28,064 to do. 141 00:05:28,845 --> 00:05:31,485 That's helpful to understand and a great, great, 142 00:05:31,485 --> 00:05:33,884 great place to start. Now looking ahead for 143 00:05:33,884 --> 00:05:34,685 2026, 144 00:05:34,685 --> 00:05:36,204 what are some of the big priorities or 145 00:05:36,204 --> 00:05:37,824 pet ones that you're focused on? 146 00:05:38,540 --> 00:05:40,540 So, Laura, for 2026, 147 00:05:40,540 --> 00:05:43,180 the commitment is to strengthen and lead our 148 00:05:43,180 --> 00:05:45,120 workplace violence prevention initiatives. 149 00:05:46,699 --> 00:05:49,759 That's certainly has to be our ongoing priority. 150 00:05:50,425 --> 00:05:53,545 Beyond safety, we're intensely focused on continuing to 151 00:05:53,545 --> 00:05:56,105 elevate the experience of our patients when they 152 00:05:56,105 --> 00:05:57,324 come to us for care. 153 00:05:57,785 --> 00:06:00,905 So we've seen strong measurable momentum in recent 154 00:06:00,905 --> 00:06:03,405 months in the positive perception of our patients 155 00:06:04,264 --> 00:06:04,764 and 156 00:06:05,225 --> 00:06:05,884 our caregivers 157 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:07,519 and the quality care, 158 00:06:07,919 --> 00:06:09,300 they're receiving from us. 159 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:11,439 A key part of the success is our 160 00:06:11,439 --> 00:06:14,479 team's consistent and effective use of evidence based 161 00:06:14,479 --> 00:06:14,979 tactics, 162 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:18,879 such as structured patient rounding, which ensures constant 163 00:06:18,879 --> 00:06:19,379 communication, 164 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:20,339 proactivity, 165 00:06:21,055 --> 00:06:22,754 and comfort for every patient. 166 00:06:23,854 --> 00:06:25,694 That makes a lot of sense. And, you 167 00:06:25,694 --> 00:06:27,935 know, I I love that focusing on evidence 168 00:06:27,935 --> 00:06:30,894 based and the information, data, and communication that 169 00:06:30,894 --> 00:06:33,294 they have because, you know, being able to 170 00:06:33,294 --> 00:06:35,129 be more precise here seems like it would 171 00:06:35,209 --> 00:06:35,709 have 172 00:06:36,009 --> 00:06:38,089 a give a big advantage, in making sure 173 00:06:38,089 --> 00:06:40,490 everybody stays safe and understands, you know, the 174 00:06:40,490 --> 00:06:43,930 risks, going forward. That seems like a great 175 00:06:43,930 --> 00:06:46,089 great thing to have. You know, what do 176 00:06:46,089 --> 00:06:47,610 you you think is the hardest thing you'll 177 00:06:47,610 --> 00:06:48,889 have to do in the coming year will 178 00:06:48,889 --> 00:06:49,389 be? 179 00:06:50,425 --> 00:06:52,845 Well, Laura, the hardest thing will be navigating 180 00:06:52,985 --> 00:06:54,925 the challenging economic headwinds 181 00:06:55,384 --> 00:06:57,625 that the health care industry and our health 182 00:06:57,625 --> 00:06:59,165 system continues to face. 183 00:06:59,705 --> 00:07:02,605 We are confronting a significant triple threat, 184 00:07:02,970 --> 00:07:04,270 continued wage inflation 185 00:07:04,650 --> 00:07:06,589 and increases in supply costs, 186 00:07:07,610 --> 00:07:10,589 the changing landscape in regards to Medicaid reimbursement 187 00:07:12,970 --> 00:07:16,670 and increasing numbers of uninsured or underinsured patients. 188 00:07:17,495 --> 00:07:21,035 We're actively sharing concerns around potential Medicaid cuts 189 00:07:21,335 --> 00:07:24,555 both federally and within our own states, Colorado, 190 00:07:24,774 --> 00:07:25,835 Kansas, and Utah. 191 00:07:26,774 --> 00:07:29,254 Furthermore, as our three states prepare for the 192 00:07:29,254 --> 00:07:31,860 implementation of of measures like HR 193 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,459 one, including potential work requirements and redetermination 194 00:07:35,839 --> 00:07:36,500 of benefits, 195 00:07:36,879 --> 00:07:37,860 we are anticipating 196 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:41,860 further changes in maintaining enrollment for vulnerable populations. 197 00:07:43,095 --> 00:07:45,254 So given our deep roots in rural healthcare 198 00:07:45,254 --> 00:07:48,375 in the mountain region, we're deeply concerned about 199 00:07:48,375 --> 00:07:49,754 the financial sustainability 200 00:07:50,214 --> 00:07:51,435 of our rural partners. 201 00:07:52,214 --> 00:07:53,514 Healthcare is an ecosystem 202 00:07:54,055 --> 00:07:56,214 and we are all deeply reliant on one 203 00:07:56,214 --> 00:07:58,569 another to ensure that patients have access to 204 00:07:58,569 --> 00:07:59,069 care 205 00:07:59,370 --> 00:08:00,990 when and where they need it. 206 00:08:01,529 --> 00:08:04,009 Our hospitals are stepping up to provide increased 207 00:08:04,009 --> 00:08:04,990 financial assistance, 208 00:08:05,449 --> 00:08:08,990 but this combination of diminishing Medicaid reimbursements, 209 00:08:09,605 --> 00:08:11,625 rising costs, and a growing population 210 00:08:12,004 --> 00:08:14,824 of uninsured patients is increasingly challenging, 211 00:08:15,764 --> 00:08:18,425 and we must continue to be fierce advocates 212 00:08:18,485 --> 00:08:20,964 on behalf of our patients and communities to 213 00:08:20,964 --> 00:08:22,024 present to preserve 214 00:08:22,959 --> 00:08:25,360 the access to care that our neighbors deserve 215 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:26,099 and expect. 216 00:08:27,279 --> 00:08:29,360 That's such a great point. I know access 217 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:31,919 to care is, a huge challenge. And as 218 00:08:31,919 --> 00:08:33,679 you mentioned, because of some of these factors 219 00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:36,080 and headwinds, could become even more challenging in 220 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:38,355 the future. And you mentioned, you know, thinking 221 00:08:38,355 --> 00:08:39,815 about concerns on sustainability, 222 00:08:40,514 --> 00:08:42,355 especially for rural health care, and and I 223 00:08:42,355 --> 00:08:44,514 can imagine that impacts a lot of the 224 00:08:44,514 --> 00:08:46,514 markets in in areas that you serve. And 225 00:08:46,514 --> 00:08:48,355 so, you know, when you're looking at all 226 00:08:48,355 --> 00:08:50,934 of that, is there anything that you are 227 00:08:51,159 --> 00:08:53,559 doing right now to prepare for that future, 228 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:56,519 or is it more sharpening awareness and making 229 00:08:56,519 --> 00:08:58,679 sure you've got your systems and processes in 230 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,080 place so that you can absorb changes that 231 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:02,220 might come down the pipe? 232 00:09:02,919 --> 00:09:04,299 Yeah. Well, our organization, 233 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:07,754 Laura, is being very proactive in engaging 234 00:09:08,534 --> 00:09:09,754 with state, federal, 235 00:09:10,375 --> 00:09:11,434 government officials, 236 00:09:12,455 --> 00:09:13,834 to make sure that 237 00:09:14,534 --> 00:09:16,634 they're passing common sense laws 238 00:09:17,254 --> 00:09:17,995 and also, 239 00:09:18,695 --> 00:09:21,139 tapping into the h r one 240 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:25,059 rural funds that was promised in that bill. 241 00:09:25,759 --> 00:09:28,720 And then proactively as nurses, we're working with 242 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:29,220 the, 243 00:09:29,759 --> 00:09:30,259 AACN 244 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:33,059 in partnership with Johnson and Johnson 245 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:34,100 to 246 00:09:35,355 --> 00:09:36,095 be proactive 247 00:09:36,714 --> 00:09:37,214 in 248 00:09:37,754 --> 00:09:38,254 understanding 249 00:09:38,794 --> 00:09:39,294 how 250 00:09:39,754 --> 00:09:42,475 we can partner with our rural communities to 251 00:09:42,475 --> 00:09:43,375 bring programs, 252 00:09:44,554 --> 00:09:46,955 to them instead of waiting for someone to 253 00:09:46,955 --> 00:09:47,879 do it for us. 254 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:51,720 So we are launching our, cohort program in 255 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:53,100 July. 256 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:54,299 And so 257 00:09:54,759 --> 00:09:55,820 I would anticipate 258 00:09:56,279 --> 00:09:57,259 a lot of 259 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:00,139 innovation coming out of that program. 260 00:10:01,315 --> 00:10:03,235 Absolutely. That's great to hear, and we'll definitely 261 00:10:03,235 --> 00:10:05,235 keep an eye out for that, you know, 262 00:10:05,235 --> 00:10:06,995 in in computing a logic closely. I I 263 00:10:06,995 --> 00:10:09,414 know it'll be certainly a model for 264 00:10:09,794 --> 00:10:12,274 solutions that hopefully others will be able to 265 00:10:12,274 --> 00:10:14,769 learn from and go from as well. Now 266 00:10:14,769 --> 00:10:16,690 when you look into the future, where do 267 00:10:16,690 --> 00:10:18,690 you see some of the best opportunities for 268 00:10:18,690 --> 00:10:20,230 both at Conner Spirit too? 269 00:10:21,009 --> 00:10:23,830 Well, we have two key areas of opportunity 270 00:10:23,970 --> 00:10:26,549 for organizational growth that are both strategic 271 00:10:27,009 --> 00:10:28,389 and mission critical. 272 00:10:29,274 --> 00:10:31,914 So first, we are proudly serving some fast 273 00:10:31,914 --> 00:10:32,735 growing communities, 274 00:10:33,195 --> 00:10:35,534 particularly in South Metro Denver, 275 00:10:35,914 --> 00:10:38,475 and we're excited to be growing along with 276 00:10:38,475 --> 00:10:38,975 them. 277 00:10:39,434 --> 00:10:41,914 This year, we will be breaking ground on 278 00:10:41,914 --> 00:10:44,429 a new health campus in this area that 279 00:10:44,429 --> 00:10:46,529 will ensure our neighbors have high quality, 280 00:10:46,990 --> 00:10:50,769 patient centered care conveniently located close to home. 281 00:10:51,309 --> 00:10:53,710 This campus will also serve as an important 282 00:10:53,710 --> 00:10:56,610 hub for innovation and compassionate care, 283 00:10:57,084 --> 00:10:59,904 connecting us to communities across the entire state. 284 00:11:00,605 --> 00:11:01,584 And then second, 285 00:11:01,884 --> 00:11:04,684 we view nurse recruitment and retention as a 286 00:11:04,684 --> 00:11:06,065 strategic growth imperative. 287 00:11:07,084 --> 00:11:10,284 We know the entire industry faces challenges in 288 00:11:10,284 --> 00:11:11,424 hiring enough nurses, 289 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:13,540 and we're pleased to be at the forefront 290 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:15,919 of efforts to recruit and retain the very 291 00:11:15,919 --> 00:11:16,419 best. 292 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:20,259 We offer competitive compensation here at CommonSpirit, 293 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:24,799 benefits, and expansive educational opportunities to help both 294 00:11:24,799 --> 00:11:26,660 new and veteran nurses thrive. 295 00:11:27,254 --> 00:11:28,795 Crucially, we offer 296 00:11:29,495 --> 00:11:31,654 programs to nurture new nurses such as our 297 00:11:31,654 --> 00:11:35,115 graduate nurse residency program that helps new graduates 298 00:11:35,335 --> 00:11:37,514 transition seamlessly into their roles. 299 00:11:38,054 --> 00:11:38,795 This systemic 300 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:41,339 approach is working. 301 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,679 Our nurse residency program as a common spirit 302 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:45,740 system nationwide 303 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:48,940 has led to an outstanding retention rate 304 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:51,959 of ninety one percent for new nurses who 305 00:11:51,959 --> 00:11:53,019 complete the program. 306 00:11:54,414 --> 00:11:56,735 Oh, that's incredible. What a great results. And, 307 00:11:56,735 --> 00:11:58,815 you know, it's really cool to see having 308 00:11:58,815 --> 00:12:00,735 that type of pipeline and support for new 309 00:12:00,735 --> 00:12:02,115 nurses because I know 310 00:12:02,575 --> 00:12:04,355 in in many areas and for many organizations, 311 00:12:04,815 --> 00:12:06,419 that's a a place of, 312 00:12:06,899 --> 00:12:09,299 you know, that they're challenged because they don't 313 00:12:09,299 --> 00:12:11,459 have such a pipeline or or haven't been 314 00:12:11,459 --> 00:12:13,639 able to build, a program that successfully 315 00:12:13,940 --> 00:12:16,740 brings more folks into their organization in that 316 00:12:16,740 --> 00:12:19,139 way. And so, that's really neat that you 317 00:12:19,139 --> 00:12:20,779 have that type of success, and I think 318 00:12:20,779 --> 00:12:23,085 it makes sense that there's opportunities for additional 319 00:12:23,085 --> 00:12:24,865 growth there too. Yeah. 320 00:12:25,245 --> 00:12:26,945 We're really proud of our results. 321 00:12:27,565 --> 00:12:30,125 We know that retaining our nurses is is 322 00:12:30,125 --> 00:12:31,985 a huge priority for us because 323 00:12:32,605 --> 00:12:34,580 we can hire all day long, but at 324 00:12:34,580 --> 00:12:36,299 the end of the day, we have to 325 00:12:36,299 --> 00:12:37,759 retain our nurses. 326 00:12:38,540 --> 00:12:40,559 And this is a wonderful place, 327 00:12:41,019 --> 00:12:43,340 to do so. We have great nurses and 328 00:12:43,340 --> 00:12:44,799 a great team, and 329 00:12:45,899 --> 00:12:48,080 I know that we are going to continue 330 00:12:48,139 --> 00:12:48,639 to, 331 00:12:49,100 --> 00:12:49,600 contribute 332 00:12:50,164 --> 00:12:51,704 to growing this organization. 333 00:12:52,964 --> 00:12:53,464 Fantastic. 334 00:12:53,845 --> 00:12:55,524 Stacy, thank you so much for joining us 335 00:12:55,524 --> 00:12:57,284 on the podcast today. This has been such 336 00:12:57,284 --> 00:12:58,184 a fun conversation. 337 00:12:58,884 --> 00:13:00,804 I appreciate your time and expertise, and I 338 00:13:00,804 --> 00:13:02,004 look forward to seeing you as well at 339 00:13:02,004 --> 00:13:03,684 our annual meeting. I know you'll be speaking 340 00:13:03,684 --> 00:13:05,910 on a panel and talking more in-depth on 341 00:13:05,910 --> 00:13:07,850 many of the things we touched on today. 342 00:13:07,910 --> 00:13:10,389 So looking forward to seeing you there. Looking 343 00:13:10,389 --> 00:13:12,090 forward to it, Laura. Thank you.