LAMC CEO Tracie Stratton, during an interview in her office Friday afternoon, has accepted an offer to serve as CEO of Lovelace Women’s Hospital and Lovelace Westside Hospital in Albuquerque. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
caclark@ladailypost.com
Los Alamos Medical Center CEO Tracie Stratton has been tapped to lead both Lovelace Women’s Hospital and Lovelace Westside Hospital in Albuquerque. Her last day on the job in Los Alamos is Wednesday, Oct. 29.
“This was a very difficult decision that I didn’t make lightly. I care for this hospital and this community more than I can say,” Stratton said.
Stratton explained that LifePoint, which owns LAMC, is sending Tony Young, who she describes as a seasoned healthcare leader who knows the LifePoint system, to serve as interim CEO until a permanent replacement is hired.
In looking back over her last four years as CEO at LAMC, Stratton said she places the greatest things about her time here into three buckets:
- First – “The honor and privilege to be able to come back to a community that I already had a connection with, not only the hospital but with the community – and that is what I love about rural healthcare,” she said.
- Second – “In my four years here, we’ve opened and established so many new service lines and access points to care:
- The Sleep Center;
- Pulmonology service line with state-of-the-art pulmonary function testing; and
- Telecardiology with echocardiogram, which allows patients to stay here to receive their treatment.
- Third –“Our recruitment of physicians, which includes a new orthopedic surgeon starting in December, and two general surgeons, OB-GYNs, a gastroenterologist, a pulmonologist, a family practice doctor, and a new hospitalist program,” she said.
LAMC also recently achieved a major milestone in its Quality and Patient Safety journey by earning the esteemed distinction of National Quality Program Affiliate. Los Alamos is just the 18th hospital out of 63 LifePoint facilities to receive this honor.
“Quality has always been so important to me because of my quality background,” Stratton said. “I am proud of the changes we have achieved in safety and quality and in earning the esteemed distinction of National Quality Program Affiliate, and earning an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog that sets standards for excellence in patient care.
Stratton said she has been blessed to serve in many different capacities during her career, all focused on improving clinical care at each patient’s bedside. It is her nursing experience that she credits for bringing a personal touch to her administrative duties.
LAMC Board of Directors Chair Linda Daly commended Stratton on her accomplishments as CEO.
“It has been a true honor to serve on the LAMC Board of Directors with Tracie as our CEO, who, in my opinion, has been one of the strongest we’ve had,” Daly said. “She has met challenges, such as serving as interim Chief Nursing Officer along with her primary duties, with grace and diligence. She successfully strengthened various departments, such as our Family Birthing Center and our Pulmonology and Sleep Center. Tracie and her leadership, talent, smile, and engaging personality will truly be missed! I know our entire LAMC Board joins me in wishing her the best in this next chapter.”
Stratton praised the staff at LAMC.
“It’s been a privilege and an honor to work with a team that is dedicated to high-quality, safe patient care,” she said. “They are always so open to receiving feedback for betterment, and were so supportive and loyal to our mission of making our communities healthier. The success we’ve had here the last four years is due to the team I’ve had around me, and I give them all the praise … I have just been lucky to be here to witness it.”
Stratton said she wants the community to know that she may be leaving the hospital, but she is still very much engaged and active in healthcare from an executive perspective in what the state is doing.
“I will continue to meet with state legislators to do my duty to help protect New Mexicans,” she said. “So if I can facilitate any sort of partnership with Loveless that will help with care delivered up here, I will do so. I also want to encourage our ED doctors and surgeons to reach out to me, as I am happy to explore facilitating a higher level of care for patients whenever needed.”
Community Service
During her four years in Los Alamos, Stratton has served on a number of nonprofit boards in the community, and executives from several of those board spoke about her service.
- The Family YMCA Board – “We will greatly miss Tracie, who has been an invaluable asset to the Y’s Board of Directors over the past several years,” CEO Chris Daniels said. “Her strategic insight, expertise in risk management, and unwavering commitment to serving our community have been a testament to her outstanding leadership.”
- Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos Board – Morrie Pongratz sponsored Stratton for membership in the Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos in September 2022. “The Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos was proud to have a leader of Tracie’s caliber in our club, Kiwanian Karin Church said. “As a former Key Clubber, Tracie and Kiwanis were a natural fit. She will be missed, but we wish her much success in her new position.”
- Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation Board – “Tracie has been an engaged Board member for LACDC who offered insightful contributions about our role in the community, issues facing healthcare professionals and employer recruitment, and our strategic investments both financially and with staffing. She was involved in our MainStreet program and an active Chamber member who hosted regular ribbon cuttings and After-Hours events at LAMC,” LACDC Executive Director Lauren McDaniel said. “I believe she really strove to connect the community with patient advocates, and new staff and offerings, in order to better serve Los Alamos and the region. This included introducing an annual Women’s Health Expo, debuting a Cardiac rehabilitation program and Sleep Lab and offering a public tour of the Endoscopy Center. During her leadership tenure at Los Alamos Medical Center she also added several prominent staff at LAMC despite local and statewide healthcare recruitment challenges, including a Chief Nursing Officer, Orthopedic surgeon, and OB-GYN. She will certainly be missed and valued for these contributions, but I wish her the best in her new opportunity in Albuquerque.”
- Los Alamos MainStreet Futures Committee – “It is clear from her routine attendance and engagement with various organizations, including the MainStreet Futures Committee, that Tracie deeply cared about partnership and community engagement,” Executive Director Jacqueline Connolly said. “We congratulate her on her new position in Albuquerque and hope the next leader at the Los Alamos Medical Center will carry on her demonstration of community support!”
- United Way of Northern New Mexico Board – “UWNNM is grateful for the cornerstone support from Los Alamos Medical Center thanks to Tracie’s belief in our community and our work,” Executive Director Cindy Padilla said. “We likewise appreciate her willingness to join our board and will miss her leadership.”