New hospital CFO likes small-town atmosphere
Staff reporter
Hilary Dolbee likes a family atmosphere in the workplace.
The new chief financial officer at St. Luke Hospital & Living Center came to Marion from a large company in Topeka.
"I like coming to work where everybody knows my name," Dolbee said. She likes the caring atmosphere.
"Everyone has been so nice to me," she said, since her arrival Sept. 19.
Originally from Wichita, Dolbee graduated from Kansas State University in 1998, with a bachelor of science degree in business and majors in accounting and finance.
She earned a master's degree from Baker University, Baldwin.
Dolbee brings a broad perspective to the job with knowledge and experience from both sides of the desk — as an auditor and an accountant. She started her career at Myers & Stauffer, an accounting firm in Topeka. She was an auditor for hospitals and nursing homes.
Her most recent position was a financial officer with Senior Adult Management that specialized in nursing home and residential care facilities.
Hired by Marion County Hospital District #1, Dolbee actually is an employee of Quorum Health Resources. QHR provides management consulting services to the hospital.
Immediate plans for the department are to continue gathering information and maintaining accurate financial records as the hospital heads into its second year as an independent operation.
"We'll continue to clean up accounting records that Hank (DeBragga, interim CFO) had started," Dolbee said. "I'll provide useful information to Thom (Smith, hospital administrator) and the hospital board to assist them with decisions to benefit the hospital."
Small, rural hospitals have unique challenges and opportunities.
"Personally, I hope to learn from the personnel," Dolbee said.
For now, the business office will continue as it always has.
"The financial department personnel are very competent," Dolbee said. "I don't plan to make any changes."
Dolbee, who is single, soon will reside in Marion when a rental house becomes available. For now, she commutes daily from her parents' house in Benton.
