San Juan Medical boss starting early

FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) - The new chief executive at San Juan Regional Medical Center will begin work one month earlier than planned.

Rick Wallace starts his mandatory two-day orientation Tuesday at the Farmington hospital. He says it's important for every employee to go through the orientation process.

Wallace says his first priority is to determine what is working well and focus on maintaining those successes. He will oversee one of San Juan County's largest employers - San Juan Regional has more than 1,600 workers.

Mayor Bill Standley says Wallace will face challenges in trying to maintain sustainable funding sources for the hospital amid the current economy and national health care issues.

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Information from: The Daily Times