Doug McMillan, CEO of Cody (Wy.) Regional Health, is a true example of someone who wakes up every day and does what he loves. It started 41 years ago when he became CEO of Haxtun (Colo.) Hospital at age 23.
"Looking back, it was a very humbling experience at 23 years old to go into your first hospital as a CEO," Mr. McMillan told Becker's. "I felt like I was probably about the youngest individual working at the hospital at the time."
Prior to his first CEO role, Mr. McMillan received his undergraduate degree in hospital administration and did a six-month residency. Overall, he has served as CEO at four hospitals and has worked at Cody Regional Health for almost 28 years.
But for Mr. McMillan, age was just a number.
"The younger person brings a whole new perspective," he said. "They bring energy, they bring excitement. Regardless of age, I look for individuals that have a passion for what they want to do."
It's this passion that helped him enter his first CEO role at Haxtun with a confidence and eagerness to learn from others.
"My leadership style has always been … as a servant leader," he said. "I just like to think outside the box and surround myself with good leaders, because they're the ones that make the difference. If I can provide them with the tools and resources they need to carry out their jobs, I think we'll all be successful."
With more than four decades of healthcare leadership experience under his belt, Mr. McMillan said workforce shortages continue to be one of the biggest challenges in the industry. Mr. McMillan praised Cody Regional's growth, expanding from around 18 providers when he first started to 50 today.
Mr. McMillan pointed to relying on strong partnerships and valuing your employees as tools to combat ongoing staff shortages.
"Communication [and] trust," he said. "Work closely with the staff and try to address those issues as a team versus an individual."
When asked what's kept Mr. McMillan in the CEO role for more than four decades, his answer was simple: "I love my job."
"To me, if I can make a difference in my position to others, and I have that opportunity every day to make a positive difference for physicians, community members, hospital staff [and], most importantly, patients, that's what drives me."