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Community Outreach and Philanthropy, (928) 771-5686 | Sep 15, 2014
Frank R. Almendarez, MHSA, has joined Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) as its East Campus Administrator.
“I knew I wanted to be part of the YRMC team after my first visit,” said Almendarez. “Everyone I met was kind, welcoming and professional. I was also impressed by how well the two campuses coordinate services in order to meet the community’s healthcare needs.”
Almendarez brings extensive administrative as well as clinical experience to Prescott Valley. Before joining YRMC, he served as Chief Operating Officer of Willamette Valley Medical Center in Oregon. Prior to that, Almendarez was Chief Clinical and Nursing Officer at Alta Vista Regional Hospital in New Mexico.
Almendarez earned a Master of Health Services Administration from St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California. He also has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University, Stanislaus.
“YRMC’s vision for a Total Healing Environment compliments my leadership vision,” he said. “As healthcare providers, I believe we need to provide physical, mental and spiritual support for patients and their family members.”
As a registered nurse, Almendarez is familiar with the value of caring for the “total person.” He recalls a night that he was working in the emergency department (ED) of a hospital and an elderly man experiencing chest pain suffered a heart attack. Almendarez, who was performing CPR, called for staff to bring the gentleman’s wife of 50 years from the waiting area. Almendarez asked the wife to hold her husband’s hand and talk to him. As the ED team continued CPR and other life-saving measures, they called out the man’s name and encouraged him not to give up. After much effort, the man’s heart began beating.
“Three months later, that man, his wife and his granddaughter returned to the hospital to thank the ED team,” Almendarez said. “He told me that he could hear me calling his name while I was performing CPR. That was an eye opener. It demonstrated for me the importance of having behaviors engaging in total healing.”
In addition to supporting YRMC’s vision for a Total Healing Environment, Almendarez is committed to identifying ways to increase the hospital’s efficiency and to getting involved in several Prescott Valley service organizations.
Almendarez and his family are enjoying their new home and his son’s school, both in Prescott Valley. The family is taking advantage of the community’s many festivals and outdoor activities. Almendarez also is looking forward to attending his son’s soccer games.