by Guy Blasi
WALSENBURG- Todd Oberheu took over as the Administrator for the Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center (SPRHC) last November. He originally came here to help support his college, Wayland Baptist University of Wayland, TX at a golf tournament held at Grandote Country Club in 2003. He liked the county so much he kept on the lookout for any opening in the area. When the SPRHC’s Administrator’s position opening became available, Oberheu jumped at the chance. Prior to his arrival here, he was the Chief Executive Officer of a hospital in Plainview, TX.
Since his arrival, Oberheu has busily worked with the Huerfano County Hospital District’s administrators, managers and employees to come up with a new Strategic Plan with the goal of making the SPRHC one of the best hospitals in the area. “We have an amazing facility here,” Oberheu said. “I have seen other 25 bed rural hospitals and this is one of the finest by far. We have an excellent staff, facility and state-of-the-art equipment. We’re poised to make changes here with a goal to put us on the map as a hospital of choice in the region.”
The implementation of the new Strategic Plan is driven by middle management as the center point with the empowerment also coming from the hospital’s employees and hospital district board members. Planning for the multi-faceted strategy started at the beginning of the year and is a dynamic process that will allow the hospital to make constant improvements over the next few years.
“I think our biggest challenge is one of out-migration,” Oberheu said. “We are looking for qualified people to come work here that requires specific training, and that is what I focus a lot of my time on.” The hospital is using a recruiting agency to find qualified employees to fill current vacancies. “I have made it a goal to work with economic development officials here with a goal of having well-qualified employees who want to work here. We want to also be the employer of choice,” he said.
Oberheu has a Bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University and has a Master’s in Business Administration from Wayland Baptist University. He and his wife Deanna have two sons, Grant 6, and Ty, 3. When asked what particular things he liked about the area, Oberheu said, “I like to play golf. And when I get an occasional chance, I’m happy to have two very nice golf courses to play nearby.”
