When Ed Kent retired as the clinic administrator after almost two decades of service to Olympia Orthopaedic Associates (OOA), newly hired Lacy Waltermeyer knew that she had her work cut out for her. “Ed is so well respected and I am excited to honor his legacy while making my own mark on this great organization,” shares Waltermeyer.
A lifelong resident, Waltermeyer attended Olympia schools and went on to obtain her degree in Business Administration at Saint Martin’s University. “I have always looked for opportunities to make an impact on my community and give back some of what has been given to me,” shares Waltermeyer.
She explains that the healthcare industry wasn’t on her employment radar when she first learned that OOA was looking for a clinic administrator. “I was seeking a place where I could use my business and leadership skills to impact real change in the community,” says Waltermeyer. The size of the organization will allow her to use her position to “make the biggest ripple.” Their core mission is to be a center of excellence, providing the highest quality of care to all of their patients. Waltermeyer looks forward to continuing this mission and working with each employee to ensure that they, along with the patients feel appreciated. This culture of caring is one of the many things that drew her to OOA.
In her new role, as the Westside Clinic Administrator, she gets the opportunity to interact with multiple departments including the medical assistants, scribes, schedulers and even the physicians themselves. She is focused on positive patient outcomes along with cultivating a collaborative and enjoyable working environment.
“We already provide great care and have the best doctors,” says Waltermeyer. “I look forward to using my business and leadership skills to carry our mission into the future as we continue to grow exponentially.”
Plans to expand the clinic are currently underway in Olympia as OOA is already bursting at the seams after the last expansion in 2012. On-site diagnostics and 24-hour physician availability makes OOA the busiest and the largest orthopaedic practice in the region. Growing makes sense as more patients are looking for quality of care and traveling to seek the very best physicians available.
Seeing over 100,000 patients each year, OOA is keenly aware of the need for care that our growing population requires. The demand for greater access to urgent orthopaedic care locally led to the opening of Rapid Orthopaedic Care (ROC) in 2016. Less than a year later, OOA welcomed a second ROC to Olympia’s westside. “My own first introduction to the ROC was when my daughter broke her ankle during a soccer practice,” says Waltermeyer. With two active girls she jokes that they are “frequent fliers” at the ROC. Both girls are continuing in their mother’s footsteps, attending Olympia schools and playing basketball and softball.
The community support that OOA lends local schools through their sports physical clinics, team medical tents and monetary donations is another strong focus for Waltermeyer. “The impact that Olympia Orthopaedic Associates makes in our community touches so many lives and I am thrilled to be a part of what we have done and will do in the future,” she shares.
Waltermeyer stepped into her new position late 2018 and is getting familiar with the flow of the organization so that she can identify areas to create the largest impact. With over 400 employees and 16 providers, she has her work cut out for her. “We see between 200 and 400 patients each day so understanding the processes and procedures for each of our providers will be a key learning element,” says Waltermeyer. She is eager to meet each employee and put names to faces over the next few weeks.
Olympia Orthopaedic Associates is committed to keeping their patients moving and living a life in motion. Their sub-specialty programs include hand, wrist, elbow, spine, neuro, foot and ankle along with sports medicine, physical therapy, and total joint replacement. They also provide 24-hour emergency on-call through Providence St. Peter Hospital and Capital Medical Center. To schedule an appointment, call 360-709-6230. For more detailed provider information visit the Olympia Orthopaedic Associates website.
Olympia Orthopaedic Associates
3901 Capital Mall Drive SW
Olympia, WA 98502
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