One Nation, Under God

Getting to know PCHC's new CEO

Andrew Riggin took over the CEO position at the Phillips County Hospital in the beginning of February. He says that things have gone very smooth so far, but that he is still transitioning.

“With any administrative role, it takes a good six months to really start to understand how things go, and a year to really understand what the facility is all about,” Riggin told the PCN.

He said he heard about the opportunity here in Malta from the two gentlemen that were doing the interim job at the hospital. Riggin knew them from the South Dakota Hospital Association. They told him that it’s a nice, close knit community. It’s a good facility that has a lot going for it. The fact that the hospital/clinic has only ever had three CEO’s shows that there is longevity here.

“Many of the staff members have been here 20 plus years. It just speaks to the goodness of what everyone is trying to accomplish,” Riggin said.

Riggin grew up in the North East corner of South Dakota, spending much of his youth doing outdoors activities.

“Where I grew up, it was 30 lakes within 30 minutes,” Riggin said. “All of our lunch breaks were spent fishing.”

When asked what he wanted to be when he was growing up, he said, “I was actually that kid that said he wanted to be a hospital or nursing home administrator at the age of 12.”

He admitted that it did take him awhile to get there, “But, that’s life.”

Riggin started his college education at the University of South Dakota. But soon realized that “brick and mortar” schooling wasn’t for him. He went and did some “soul searching” and became an avid welder. He also loves woodworking, and anything he can do with his hands. Riggin decided to go with the online school route because he could get all of the certifications that he needed that way. At the same time, he went into cell phone sales because they would pay for part of his degree. He then worked at Wells Fargo for a year while he did his internship.

After he got his license, Riggin went back to his hometown to be the nursing home administrator for two years, followed by a move to Martin, SD, to be the administrator of the hospital, nursing home, rural health clinic, the ambulance, and home health. He is also a licensed CNA.

“You name it, I’ve done it. Mostly in business orientated stuff,” Riggin said.

Riggin moved to Malta with his wife, Danielle, who is a traveling nurse, and three young children.

The community has been “very welcoming. Everyone makes sure you have what you need. And customer service is very apparent wherever you go.”

 

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