Lonnie Cramer focuses on staff, patients

LONGMONT and BROOMFIELD — Being the president of two hospitals, especially with them close together, isn’t a big leap for Lonnie Cramer.

As of May, Cramer of Longmont took over the leadership role of UCHealth’s Broomfield Hospital and since February, has led Longs Peak Hospital in Longmont. He has more than 20 years of health-care leadership and clinically specialized in diagnostic imaging.

“Being president of the organization and really setting the strategic goals of both Longs Peak and Broomfield was really exciting for me,” Cramer said, adding that he likes how UCHealth is innovative and admires the organization’s research and clinical work. “I felt UCHealth was really investing in moving health care forward to provide health care at home in ways that are really impactful to our patients, so that was really inspiring.”

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Cramer joined UCHealth as president of the Longmont hospital, overseeing the company’s expansion of services in the Longmont and Carbon Valley areas. He then took on the role of leading the Broomfield hospital to oversee the 80,000-square-foot facility that has 22 inpatient beds and an emergency room, intensive care unit, operating rooms and a full radiology suite, plus the recent addition of advanced orthopedic services.

Before coming to UCHealth, Cramer served as chief operating officer of Penrose-St. Francis Health Services, an acute care facility in Colorado Springs that includes Penrose Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center. Both of those hospitals are part of Centura Health, as is Longmont United Hospital and Avista Adventist Hospital in Louisville, both competitors of Cramer’s new employer.

He started out as director of imaging for orthopedic and neurosurgery services in 2007 until 2011, when he became director of imaging and surgical services. He then became vice president of operations in 2013 and chief operating officer in 2015 at Penrose and in June 2018 the COO of both Penrose and St. Francis.

“I’m not unfamiliar with operationally (looking) over two hospitals,” Cramer said. “What is exciting about being over Broomfield and Longs Peak is they are close, within 25 minutes of driving time. It allows us to be more efficient.”

Through his oversight of two hospitals, Cramer can help the facilities share staffing, achieve more resource coverage, be more efficient in costs and reduce what the patient has to pay for services, he said.

“By being close together and having one leadership team, we are able to share those resources to help each facility perform better,” Cramer said.

Cramer works with the leadership team to drive strategies for both hospitals, ensuring quality is maintained and that the hospitals are efficient while meeting all regulatory guidelines. He stresses strategy to ensure the hospitals are able to meet the needs of their local communities and that they act as good community partners as health-care providers. He also wants to provide the services that help patients be healthy before they need care, such as educational programs through the UCHealth Aspen Club for ages 50 and older and St. Vrain Valley School District. UCHealth is one of the sponsors for the district’s mobile Future Ready Innovation Lab, which provides hands-on learning through technology and innovation. UCHealth’s Healthy Hearts program works with students in the district to educate them about heart health and help them live healthy lifestyles.

“Patients expect you to provide high quality care and safe, good outcomes,” Cramer said. “Our job is to improve their lives, and we make sure we do that by keeping them safe and ensuring quality is at the highest level in all areas. Our main focus is to help our patients live extraordinary lives from birth through the continuum of care and to meet them where they need to be met.”

Cramer also wants to see the two hospitals continue to receive recognition as top destination centers, such as the Joint Commission’s designation of Longs Peak as a primary stroke center and the American College of Emergency Physicians accrediting the Longs Peak emergency department as a geriatric emergency department for its recognition of the specific needs of older patients.

Cramer considers his leadership style to be collaborative and believes in helping the staff with career growth, he said

“My job, I feel, is to grow my team at all levels,” Cramer said. “It comes with tremendous responsibility and accountability to do all those things, to ensure high quality, efficient health care and that the staff performs at the highest level.”

Carolyn Arnold, perioperative services manager at Broomfield Hospital, describes Cramer’s leadership style as hands-on.

“He introduces himself to employees for the purpose of both listening and encouraging them,” Arnold said. “He is committed to strategic growth, patient and employee satisfaction, and quality of care at Broomfield Hospital. We are excited for what he brings to UCHealth and the communities we serve.”

Jason Amrich, vice president of operations at Longs Peak Hospital, likes how Cramer “empowers his leaders to be the CEOs of their own departments,” he said.

“Lonnie’s business acumen and strength in strategy and business development are going to help Longs Peak continue to identify the best way to serve and meet the needs of the Longmont and Broomfield communities,” Amrich said. “Lonnie has an extremely strong work ethic rooted in his past life as a young man working as a bricklayer. He has a passion for winning and competition and makes coming to work every day exciting and fun.”

Cramer’s goal for the next five years is to continue to grow the hospitals’ strategies and expand their service offerings, improve their efficiencies and lower the cost of health care, he said.

Before joining UCHealth and working in Colorado Springs, Cramer gained clinical experience in diagnostic imaging and served as chief operating officer of MDiagnostics Inc., in Metairie, Louisiana, from 2001 to 2007. While there, he oversaw operations of five outpatient imaging facilities in Louisiana. He also worked at the radiology department at the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, from 1998 to 2001.

Cramer earned a Master of Science degree in clinical practice management from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, in 2014 and a Bachelor of Science degree in health- care administration from Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas, in 2009, plus several other degrees and certifications. He underwent the Angiography, Computer Tomography & MRI Certification Program at Landstuhl Army Regional Medical Center from 1989 to 1992. He served in the U.S. Army 1989 to 1996 and was ranked as a sergeant.

Cramer’s interest in health started with radiology, which he observed in a job shadowing experience through the Army recruiting office and found it to be “very intriguing and exciting,” he said.

“Straight out of high school, I went into the (U.S.) Army and started my career,” Cramer said. “I came up the clinical side and just took on more and more leadership roles in the last 27 years. … What I have passion in is growing people and helping each and every one of the staff perform at their highest capability and to follow their passions. I invest in my people as much as I can to help them be better caregivers.”