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Bio:
MCHC Health Centers, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rod Grainger as its chief executive officer. Grainger brings 30 years of healthcare management experience with a strong background in healthcare finance. Having spent most of the last ten years as Long Valley Health Center’s executive director, Grainger understands the opportunities and challenges of providing high-quality healthcare in a rural community, and he says he looks forward to guiding MCHC Health Centers as “we emerge from the pandemic to a rapidly changing environment.” “Disruptive times, while uncomfortable, can be a catalyst for productive change. As we work through the challenges facing our community and our healthcare system, we are using this time to assess, reevaluate, and find or create new best practices for healthcare delivery. It is a time to reinvest in our mission and our employees so that we can meet or exceed our patients’ expectations,” he said. MCHC has been providing healthcare to community members since 1992, expanding from its original location on Laws Avenue in Ukiah to managing four sites: Hillside Health Center and Dora Street Health Center in Ukiah, Little Lake Health Center in Willits and Lakeview Health Center in Lakeport. MCHC sees an average of 500 patients per day—either in person or virtually. Grainger believes MCHC Health Centers has grown and thrived because it is a heart-centered organization. “Our founder, Linnea Hunter, had a great passion for the underserved. She began this organization with just a few employees who had big hearts and a desire to serve.” Grainger credits the organization’s steady growth over the years to “exceptional commitment to access and quality, both of which depend upon skilled employees who are deeply invested in their work.” “It’s scientifically proven that if you take care of your employees, they are happier; and when they are happier, they take better care of others. It’s also true that when people love where they work, they are a lot more likely to attract others who fit into that kind of high-functioning team. Great people want to work with great people,” he explained. “It is the foundation of our organization, and it is a personal value of mine.” MCHC uses a team-based approach to serve as a healthcare hub—a place where patients can go, regardless of their ailment. MCHC can then either provide the care directly or coordinate care through referrals to a specialist. This approach prevents duplication of care and eliminates unnecessary tests—and it allows MCHC to understand all the health issues influencing a patient’s condition. According to Grainger, the goal is to find a balance that puts quality at the top of the priority list and uses resources as efficiently as possible. As a federally qualified health center, MCHC receives grant funding to assure that patients who need care but can’t afford it do not slip through the cracks of the healthcare system. He explained that MCHC Health Centers is in the community to provide care to all walks of life, from the fully insured community member to the homeless and the undocumented. “Our doors are open, and we are actively recruiting so that we can continue to meet the needs of our community. We want to help our patients live their best lives, and healthcare is a big part of that. We want our team to engage in meaningful work, and our mission to provide care for our community is at the heart of that work” he said.