I am fortunate to have recently been given the privilege of practicing at Highlands-Cashiers Hospital (HCH) as the Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Nursing Officer. It has been my honor to have been greeted by community members, providers, caregivers and patients from our community as I have acclimated myself to HCH, the Eckerd Living Center and our affiliated practices.
I would like to introduce myself, discuss my experience and share anticipated opportunities for growth in healthcare on the Plateau. I began my tenure here on July 16, 2019. As the previous Administrator for Clinical Operations at Angel Medical Center, Highlands is a short commute from my home in Otto, North Carolina. I relocated from South Carolina with my wife, Tracie, in 2018. We have four children and six grandchildren.
I came to the nursing profession as a second career, after training to become an electrical engineer. After working three years as a safety engineer, I later became a systems design engineer for a large telecommunications company. Nursing called me in many profound ways. I wanted to serve patients, while fueling innovation, supporting colleagues pursuing growth and developing nurse leaders in this exciting and constantly evolving industry. I received my associate’s degree in Nursing from Mercy College of Northwest Ohio and found my niche as a trauma nurse in the emergency department. After relocating to South Carolina, I continued my work in the emergency department, but also had the opportunity to further develop my nursing and leadership skills in the intensive/critical care setting. While continuing to hone my skills, I received my BS in Nursing from Penn State University and my MS in Nursing Administration from La Roche University. In 2017, I earned my PhD in Nursing Practice with honors from Yale University, with a focus in executive leadership and hospital systems.
My path to the Plateau has allowed me to work in diverse capacities, from operations and business development to strategic work in the development of creative education programs and systems. I have had opportunities to initiate and execute efficiencies in several institutions that both generated cost-savings and improved waste reduction, while elevating the standard of care and patient experience. As a teacher and mentor for nursing colleagues, I emphasize the significant impact of high quality caregivers on population health, and appreciate the need for exceptional healthcare within every community.
Over the next several months, I would like to learn more about Highlands, Cashiers and the surrounding communities. We’re in a unique place, both geographically and in the context of the hospital’s history. It has seen many significant transitions recently, from the purchase of Mission Health by HCA Healthcare to a change in leadership with my coming on board.
I hope to help usher in HCH’s next era and do all I can to get to know and support our patients and families. I pledge to work with our superlative caregivers to make the care we provide innovative and excellent. I believe that if we’re to excel and grow as a healthcare institution, our most valuable tools are the people and ideas within it.
- Tim Layman, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Nursing Officer at Highlands-Cashiers Hospital
Timothy Layman, DNP, is the Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) of Highlands-Cashiers Hospital. Layman holds a PhD in Nursing Practice from Yale University, a MS in Nursing Administration from LaRoche College and a BS in Nursing from Pennsylvania State University. Before coming to Angel Medical Center and Mission Health, he served as Vice President for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Thomas Jefferson University. Layman currently serves on the faculty of Thomas Jefferson University and Yale University.