New VP of Patient Care Services Joins Hospital December 22, 2021 A temporary contracted job has turned into a full-time permanent position – to the benefit of both Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital and its newest executive, Denise Moland, BSN, RN. “We are so fortunate to have attracted such an experienced and talented clinical hospital leader like Denise to our hospital,” said hospital CEO Lesley Ogden, MD. “I could not be happier to welcome her to our health care family and the North Lincoln community and I cannot wait to see how she will help us enhance our patient care even further.” Moland began working temporarily at the hospital on Sept. 20, placed by a national health care executive talent firm to serve as interim vice president of patient care services. On Dec. 15, she was offered the position permanently and, to her own surprise, accepted. Moland explains: “When I accepted the interim job, I had no intention of making this permanent. Lincoln City was too far from our kids, the hospital was smaller than anywhere I had ever worked, I had always been drawn to larger communities and I had always wanted to do the executive travel job. It gave me an opportunity to see new places, experience health care in different organizations and allowed my husband and I to live wherever we wanted,” she said. Then she arrived in Lincoln City and her “heart melted,” she said. Not only were there the amazing ocean and mountain views and outdoor activities, but she was received at the hospital by a supportive and purpose-driven team led by CEO Dr. Ogden and COO Virginia Riffle. “Everyone is just so engaged in ensuring that SNLH is successful and that patient care is a priority. They are open to making suggestions and giving dialog that results in great decisions,” she said. She was excited to learn that the hospital’s parent organization, Samaritan Health Services, was working toward becoming a high reliability organization focused on safety and zero patient harm. “Samaritan is truly on the path to being an HRO and not just talking about it,” Moland said. “I don’t know if people understand how rare it is to have an organization that is willing to actually invest in this journey and make it a priority.” After one month into her temporary contract, Moland started to consider applying for the permanent position. “Taking this job is the best decision I have ever made in my career. SNLH is an amazing facility with great caregivers and providers who want to serve their community.” About Denise Moland Moland became a nurse because she had the heart and the talent for providing patient care. Then, she moved into leadership positions so she could provide support and mentoring to the health care staff “to make them the best they can be,” she said. Before joining the talent placement company, Moland had been chief nursing officer at the 99-bed Putnam Community Medical Center in Palatka, Florida. Her health care career began in Garden City, Kansas, and has taken her to hospitals in Missouri, Tennessee, New York and Florida. She earned a bachelor of science in nursing at Newman University and her master’s in healthcare leadership and master of business administration at Friends University. On a personal note, she has been married to her husband, Daniel, for 39 years. They have six children and 10 grandchildren, and her mother-in-law has joined them in their Lincoln City home. Moland fills a vacancy created when the position of coastal vice president of patient care services was divided into two positions: one at the Lincoln City hospital and one at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport. The coastal position was created in April 2020 and held by Sam Jones, RN, who remains in the position at the Newport hospital.
