SMITH CENTER, Kan. – Steve Lewis started at Smith County Memorial Hospital on Monday, Sept. 14, as the organization’s new chief financial officer.
“We’re excited to bring Steve on board,” said Allen Van Driel, CEO at the hospital. “He brings years of experience working in critical access hospitals and rural health clinics throughout Nebraska and Iowa and will put his knowledge to good use here.”
Lewis started his career in healthcare as a medical technologist working in a pathology lab. From there, he became a lab manager at a hospital in Lexington, Neb., and was promoted to director of administrative services. In that role, Lewis oversaw patient accounts, billing and the general ledger.
In 2006, Lewis accepted the position of CFO for Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, Iowa. Altogether he has 39 years of experience in healthcare and 26 in hospital administration.
“I’m attracted to healthcare finance as an opportunity to serve others within the organization and the community,” Lewis said. “Healthcare finance is very complex, so helping our patients and fellow employees understand it better is a key part of serving others.”
Van Driel is impressed with the breadth of experience Lewis brings to the role and looks forward to the improvements he can offer.
“Steve has seen the inside of several facilities and knows how important accurate and timely billing is to our patient care model,” Van Driel said. “While no two critical access hospitals are alike, I know Steve can speak the language of insurance providers and medical billing to help our patients receive the best service.
In addition to his knowledge of patient accounts, Lewis also knows how important it is to keep the organization in the black. He will oversee the general ledger for the facility, including operating and capital budgets.
“My role is to help keep SCMH financially sound to provide high-quality healthcare to our community,” he said.
Van Driel says Lewis has already jumped into the role to provide relief for an already overwhelmed team.
“We have been without a true CFO for several months, and our patient accounts and finance team are excited to work with someone who has as much history and knowledge at Steve,” he said.
For Lewis’ part, he is happy to be part of a team that puts its patients and community first.
“I was attracted to the new facility and the excellent medical staff,” Lewis said. “I’ve always enjoyed serving in a rural setting and am looking forward to working with the healthcare team at SCMH.”