Medical administration is in Thielst’s blood: the Louisiana native’s father was a hospital purchasing director, and at age 14 Thielst started volunteering. “By the time I was 17, I decided I wanted to be an administrator, which the ladies working in the hospital office thought was a great idea.”After joining VCMC, Thielst said she “quickly realized that if you didn’t know it you would never guess that it’s a county facility.” And SPH “is still a community hospital with a wonderful staff,” including dozens of former employees who were with Santa Paula Memorial Hospital when it closed - and filed for bankruptcy in December 2003 - that have returned to the campus.The hospital, purchased and extensively rehabilitated by the county, has been “growing, but we still have the opportunity for further growth that requires the support and commitment from the entire community.” The hospital’s conference room is available to community groups and is the site of SPH sponsored classes, such as smoking cessation. “We have many wonderful volunteers and could use more” on evenings and weekends, Thielst noted.Of the 120 employees, about 50 percent are former SPMH staffers and now “are very, very proud to be back,” a feeling they do not hesitate to share and an attitude that Thielst said is shared by VCMC employees.A resident of Santa Barbara, Thielst admits that balancing time with husband Geoff, who teaches marine diving technology at Santa Barbara Community College and is a consultant, and their three children can be challenging, but “I love what I’m doing and they’re wonderfully supportive.... I’m passionate about what I do,” and she is committed to “blaze a path up to the hospital” through community outreach and interaction.
New SP Hospital COO working with community to raise awareness
August 10, 2007
Santa Paula News
Christina Beach Thielst has plenty to celebrate... one year as a County of Ventura employee and as the new chief operating officer of Santa Paula Hospital.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesChristina Beach Thielst has plenty to celebrate... one year as a County of Ventura employee and as the new chief operating officer of Santa Paula Hospital. Thielst replaced Michael Borelli, who led the hospital after it reopened in July 2006 and then returned home to family in Washington State.“Is this permanent? I hope so,” said Thielst from her SPH office overlooking the Santa Clara River Valley. “I love being the administrator of a small hospital... working for Ventura County Medical Center is great,” but Thielst said she prefers the more intimate atmosphere of the “Hospital on the Hill” although she is COO of both operations.At VCMC, Thielst’s responsibilities lean more on the support services side where she became familiar with SPH “behind the scenes.... Being at SPH has given me the opportunity to interact with the community more and takes me back to my administrative roots.”With a strong educational - Master of Health Administration from Tulare University - and career resume, including an American College of Healthcare Executives Fellow, Thielst also writes for various publications and has numerous professional affiliations.Since she assumed top duties at SPH, Thielst has been busy not only with hospital administration but also with one-on-one outreach to the Santa Clara River Valley, meeting with businesses, physicians, community groups, convalescent homes and others to “find out what the community wants for the hospital. I’m here to support clinical staff and assure the top services are provided” that are most supported by the community.
