In 1936, local patron of the arts and philanthropist, Mabel Dodge Luhan, donated a house on La Posta Road that became the first location of Holy Cross Hospital. Today, Holy Cross Hospital is an 89,000 square-foot, not-for-profit, Critical Access Hospital located off Weimer Road, with a local governing board that includes both physicians and community members. More than a hospital, it is now Holy Cross Medical Center — a family of great care that includes a network of clinics, practitioners, and programs that strive to meet the healthcare needs of our community.
We hope you’ll take a few minutes to learn about some of the exciting new developments and progress that is being made at Holy Cross.
Board Update
In May, the Holy Cross Board of Directors voted to add a 13th seat that is committed to include representation from our indigenous population, and the Board of Directors recently reviewed a new round of applicants to fill four vacant seats on the Hospital Board. Two members were re-elected for their positions and two new Board members were elected, Andrew Chavez and Eileen Lujan. The current Board members include Holy Cross Medical Center staff and individuals that represent different regions of our community: Abe Balsamo, Board Member; Andrew Chavez, Board Member; Robyn Chavez, Board Member; Lucille Gallegos-Jaramillo, Board Vice-Chair; Carl Gilmore, Board Member; Trinidad de Jesus Arguello, Board Member; Eileen Lujan, Board Member; Cristina Martinez, Board Secretary; Donald Mooney, Board Treasurer; Jonathan Moran, DO, Board Member; Paul Sands, Board Chairman; Peter Selzer, MD, Board Member; Chris Stagg, Board Member.
Staffing Update
As the Team Taos campaign continues, Holy Cross remains vigilant in hiring long-term local employees to fill open positions and continues to work towards reducing the number of traveling workers. Since the campaign began, 34 full-time nurses have been successfully recruited, surpassing the initial goal of 25. The campaign has reduced the number of traveling workers from 112 down to 28, and the number of traveling nurses has been reduced from 48 to 14. Over the last year the Holy Cross team has grown from 460 to 520 employees. Reducing travelers has resulted in a savings of about $3.8 million of traveling contract labor expenses for fiscal year 2024 from 2023.
On the physician recruitment front Holy Cross is excited to welcome three new physicians to our team. Dr. Krist, Pediatrician, joined the Taos Clinic for Children & Youth on July 8th, Dr. Balise, General Surgeon, starts September 3rd, and Dr. Scott, Pediatrician starts October 10th.
Future Development
Senator Bobby Gonzales was instrumental in getting $15 million added to the state budget that is earmarked to support expansion of healthcare services in Taos County by Holy Cross. In 2023 a county-wide survey showed that the number-one health concern for locals was access to primary care. In response to these findings, Holy Cross plans to allocate that funding towards a new building at the main hospital campus that will help expand primary care, and serve as a new home to the now off-site Holy Cross clinics, departments and programs. Like the current hospital building, the new building will be owned by Taos County. Medical construction requires careful design and planning, and while the initial planning has begun, the construction and development will take time.
Foundation
Holy Cross has hired Helen Forte as the new Interim Foundation Planner. Helen will work to revive the Holy Cross Foundation and lay the groundwork for this initiative. The Foundation will interface with our community partners and identify resources at the local, state and federal levels. The Foundation’s goal will be to secure donations and grants, and focus on projects that can support the long-term financial health of our hospital, clinics, and programs. In the past, Holy Cross had a Foundation dedicated to this mission, but under previous administrations, the foundation was dissolved. The new Holy Cross Foundation will offer a great opportunity to support the financial stability of the organization, while also engaging with the community and discovering new ways to serve our population and expand service lines. Holy Cross Hospital remains a member of the Taos Community Foundation and looks forward to continued collaboration.
Free Programs
Holy Cross Medical Center continues to offer free support to the community through six distinct programs.
- The Benefit Navigation program (575-751-8939) helps individuals access healthcare benefits, health insurance and resources.
- Taos Cancer Support Services (575-751-8927) provides non-medical care and support for those affected by cancer.
- The First Steps program (575-751-5764) offers home visiting and parenting support for new families.
- The Taos Alive Coalition (575-737-8404) focuses on substance abuse prevention and promoting healthy lifestyles.
- The Children’s Trust Fund (575-751-8904) aids in early childhood development and offers parenting classes.
- ROAMS (Rural OB Access & Maternal Services, roamsnm.org) helps improve access to maternal and prenatal care for women in rural areas of northern New Mexico.
Da Vinci 5 Surgical Robot
Holy Cross Hospital is scheduled to receive a new state-of-the-art Da Vinci 5 surgical robot this fall. A very generous local donor has contributed funds to cover a large portion of the cost of acquiring this device. Through robotic assistance this highly advanced tool will enhance surgeries, offering the potential for reduced procedure times and better outcomes for patients. This Da Vinci robot is also vital for surgeon recruitment – most surgeons in residency, those entering the workforce, and many that are already practicing are trained on this technology and expect their facility to have a surgical robot. Holy Cross is beginning construction on the operating room that will house the Da Vinci unit, which is scheduled to arrive in October. Holy Cross Hospital is likely to be one of the first hospitals in the nation to receive the newest version of the Da Vinci robot in the fall.
Electronic Health Records (Information Systems)
Holy Cross has made a commitment to its staff and to the community to implement a new, modern, robust Electronic Health Records (EHR) system. The process of selecting the best possible platform for the facility is ongoing and the selection and integration will likely continue through 2025. The coming upgrade will offer improved customer service to patients, simplifying things such as reviewing test results, bill payment, physician referrals, and will better communicate with other local health record systems. Upgrading the EHR will enhance data-driven clinical decisions, and offer real time efficiency metrics. In the long-run this upgrade will help improve the overall financial stability of Holy Cross by streamlining internal processes, communication, and billing procedures.