In the Know: Lynne Warner Lynn
Thoughts And Goals From Community Leaders
Lynne Warner Lynn is the administrator at Ephraim McDowell-James B. Haggin Hospital, where she worked the late 1980s and 1990s. Lynn said she wants to make sure the hospital is here for a long time. “We want to assure that Haggin is long standing,” said Lynn. “We want the hospital to be here for the next generations and we are on a good path right now.”
Jennifer Marsh
Herald Staff
jmarsh@harrodsburgherald.com
Lynne Warner Lynn has been the administrator at Ephraim McDowell-James B. Haggin Hospital for about two years.
With a background as a clinical nurse specialist, including a doctoral degree, is also chief nursing officer for Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center and vice president of clinical effectiveness (quality) and medical staff services for the Ephraim McDowell Health system.
“Everyone here at Haggin is very committed to Mercer County and the hospital,” said Lynn. “They are the reason things are where they are today. Our employees are hardworking and dedicated.”
A native of Mercer County, Lynn worked at Haggin in the late 1980s and 1990s. Lynn said she wants to make sure the hospital is here for a long time.
“We want to assure that Haggin is long standing,” said Lynn. “We want the hospital to be here for the next generations and we are on a good path right now.”
She said her goal as administrator is to be a transformational leader.
“I want to inspire and motivate people to serve Mercer County,” said Lynn. “We need at least two more primary care providers.”
Over the last year, Haggin has improved greatly from a financial perspective. They are showing positive profit margins and recently won the quality award from the Kentucky Hospital Association for their stroke care.
“Haggin’s employees have been through a lot of transition. Everyone is dedicated to the hospital that used to be independent. They are hardworking and have transitioned well to being a part of a health care system,” she said.
Lynn said the hospital’s mission is to provide quality health care, build trusting relationships and provide value to those we serve.
Haggin’s entire staff is patient- and family-centric, she said.
“Keeping Haggin long standing is extremely beneficial to the local economy,” said Lynn.
A 2016 study by the Kentucky Hospital Association showed Haggin and employees made nearly $2.9 million annually in purchases from local companies, paid $166,000 in city and county occupational taxes, paid $341,000 into the Medicaid program and generated $962,000 in income and sales taxes.
“In addition to financial improvements, expenditures for hospital capital including a new electronic medical record have been purchased. We have expanded our swing bed program,” said Lynn. “The swing bed program allows local patients who need a longer stay and qualify for specific skilled care to be transferred to their local hospital for the remainder of their care.”
Lynn is also proud of the low turnover for employees at Haggin.
“The national average is greater than 17 percent and we are less than 10 percent,” said Lynn. “We won a quality award for our stroke program and are a level IV certified trauma center. We are pursuing a national certification for Acute Stroke Readiness by the Joint Commission.”
Lynn said she would like to establish and build on Haggin’s relationships with local industry.
“I would love to hear from the community,” said Lynn. “We are a designated critical access hospital since 2001. Therefore, Haggin can only have 25 or fewer acute care inpatient beds. This designation by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid is designed to reduce the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals and improves access to health care by keeping essential services in rural communities. To accomplish this goal, critical access hospitals receive certain benefits such as cost-based reimbursement for Medicare services.”
Haggin is performing more surgeries on site and growing other programs to meet the needs of the community.
“We will be a long standing hospital of Mercer County,” said Lynn. “We will be because of the employees and leadership team who are dedicated to ensure quality standards and essential services remain.”
Find the rest of the story on page 1A of this week’s issue of the Harrodsburg Herald or click here to subscribe.
I have always loved our hospital. With that said, I have to wonder how long standing it can be when there is such a short of doctors. In the past two weeks, I have learned that my GI doctor and my Endo doctor and NP have either already gone to Lexington hospitals or are going soon. So I am left with nobody in Mercer or Boyle County to help me with my diabetes. Because they are leaving, I will no longer be in the Diabetic Clinic program where I get my Insulin through the pharmacy at a discounted, affordable rate. This means I am going to risk my health because even with Medicare and Humana Medicine Plan, I cannot afford the high cost of insulin. In 5 years, I have lost my Doctor, and then two NPs. So I am having a hard time understanding how we can have a long standing hospital here in Harrodsburg when we can’t even have excess to the medical care we need.