Mark Robinson has only been in his role as CEO at St. Mark’s Hospital since February 12, but he does not feel like a rookie. That’s because he has worked for Hospital Corporation of America (St. Mark’s Hospital’s parent company) his entire 20-year career.
After his administrative residency, Robinson worked in several hospitals, climbing the career ladder and paying his dues. “I honed my skills as an administrator, and I wouldn’t trade my career experiences for anything. I’ve worked in five other hospitals for some great people and taken away bits and pieces that have helped mold me into the CEO I am now," Robinson says.
Before accepting his new position, Robinson visited Salt Lake and was impressed by what he saw. “I saw a growing community with a rich healthcare environment and people who really care about the place they live," Robinson recalls. “It quickly became more than an idea to move, to ‘this is where I want to call home.'"
Robinson looks forward to leading St. Mark’s as it continues being a solid healthcare supporter for the community. “As Utah’s first hospital, I look forward to studying St. Mark’s rich history. I firmly believe I need to understand where we’ve been in order to help guide where we’re going," he says.
He realizes patients have plenty of choices when selecting a healthcare provider and views it as his and his staff’s obligation to give the best, most up-to-date and compassionate care possible. To remain competitive in the evolving healthcare landscape, St. Mark’s Hospital has several projects on the docket. Recently approved is a $25 million project to expand its orthopedic and neurology services. The patients deserve the best care available, after all, he says.
“It’s not just an eight-to-five, five days a week business. It’s a 24-7, 365 days a year mentality," Robinson says. “We are renovating an entire wing to offer patients cutting-edge services and we have four innovative robots assisting with minimally invasive surgeries."
HCA has had successes expanding its footprint outside of the traditional hospital campus. Future projects on the horizon include building a freestanding emergency department in West Valley City that will open the first quarter of 2019.
Currently, St. Mark’s is a level III Trauma Center and is working toward achieving level II trauma center status. St. Mark’s also has 24-7 trauma doctors supporting subspecialties such as neurosurgery, orthopedic trauma and vascular surgery. “St. Mark’s has decades of experience handling complex medical emergencies, including heart attacks, strokes and orthopedic injuries, and is equipped to serve local communities with advanced care during a crisis," says Robinson.
As St. Mark’s continues to grow, Robinson realizes the need to recruit healthcare professionals in cardiology, orthopedics and vascular surgery specialties. “These are major service lines that complement the great work we’re doing now, so we can take care of anybody who walks through the door," he says.
Even with all the changes coming to St. Mark’s, Robinson knows the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between his professional and personal life. “There is a health factor behind it and quality of life perspective. I work hard, but I also play hard," he says. Robinson looks forward to exploring Utah on weekend road trips with his wife and two dogs attending Real Salt Lake soccer games.