Case Study: Strengthening Interim Leadership in Rural Healthcare
Table of Contents
Overview
When Scotland Health Care System, a rural community hospital in North Carolina, faced a critical leadership gap in its Imaging Department, they needed immediate, experienced support. Leadership vacancies in rural settings can strain teams, delay key projects and impact morale.
Aya Healthcare provided Scotland Health quick access to an interim leader who stabilized operations, advanced major initiatives and guided the department through one of the busiest years in the hospital’s history. The interim leader was such an excellent match at Scotland Health, both in terms of technical skills and as a team member, that he joined the hospital in a permanent Director position.
Results
- Permanent hire: Offered and accepted the full-time Director role.
- Projects delivered: Completed the department expansion, IR service line and mobile mammography bus.
- Improved satisfaction: Physician and staff satisfaction increased significantly.
- Retention & morale: Strengthened staff stability and renewed trust in leadership.
The Challenge
Scotland Health’s Imaging Department was in the midst of a high-stakes year. Major projects — including a department expansion, licensing a mobile mammography bus, launching a new interventional radiology (IR) service line and transitioning radiology physician groups — were all underway.
At the same time, an unexpected leadership departure left the department vulnerable. With mission-critical initiatives advancing, Scotland Health needed a seasoned interim director who could step in quickly, lead confidently and keep projects on track.
Key challenges included:
- Filling a historically hard-to-recruit role with no internal candidates ready to step up.
- Needing a rapid placement to avoid disruption in patient care and project timelines.
- Finding a leader skilled in both operational management and staff engagement.
The Solution
- Dec 20: Initial meeting with Scotland Health leadership
- Dec 23 (just 3 days later, during Christmas week): The first candidate was presented and accepted — an experienced interim leader who had a proven record of extending assignments due to strong performance.
- Selection: This candidate brought well-rounded expertise ideally suited for Scotland Health’s unique rural environment.
“We needed someone with a high level of expertise, experience, and professionalism. The quick response, high-quality candidate, and ease of process were invaluable.”
Christi Meggs, SVP & CHRO, Scotland Health Care System
The Interim Leader’s Impact
Responsibilities & Projects
What began as a short-term engagement became a lasting success story. The Interim Director of Imaging’s performance was so impactful that Scotland Health offered him the full-time role — which he accepted. His leadership stabilized the department, delivered critical initiatives and rebuilt trust across the team.
From day one, he took on critical responsibilities:
- Evaluating staff and coordinators.
- Overseeing the build-out and operational launch of the expanded department.
- Launching the mobile mammography bus and new IR service line.
- Strengthening collaboration with a new radiology physician group.
- Optimizing operations for efficiency and cost savings.
Quick Wins
- Empowered coordinators: Trained and held coordinators accountable, creating stronger front-line leadership.
- Cost savings: Identified ways to reduce nuclear medicine expenses without compromising care.
- Staff engagement: Met with every team member to rebuild trust and cohesion after prior leadership changes.
Culture & Collaboration
Transparent and direct, he quickly earned staff confidence. Partnering with HR, he improved recruitment, identified internal promotion opportunities and stabilized morale during a sensitive transition.
Why Interim Made Sense
For Scotland Health, interim leadership wasn’t just a stopgap — it was a strategic decision.
- Cost justification: The potential risks of stalled projects, errors or leadership decline outweighed the interim cost.
- Recruitment advantage: By hiring their interim leader permanently, Scotland Health avoided a placement fee and gained a “try before you buy” opportunity.
- Value delivered: The interim leader provided immediate stability while positioning the hospital for long-term success.
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