Member Spotlight: Derek Rust, Project Manager, Dartmouth Health
Our first Member Spotlight is on Derek Rust, a Project Manager at Dartmouth Health. Learn more about Derek below. Want to be a part of our PAC Member Spotlight? Fill out the form here.
How long have you been a member of the Patient Access Collaborative?: About 7 months
What do you like about being a member?: Resources, Resources, Resources. There are some many things that the PAC has for access professionals to tap into. Specifically, I love the listserv because you can connect with other institutions that may have already figured out a problem that you are facing. This helps break down the "silo" effect between different institutions and learn from one another to provider efficient care
How has your career benefited from being a member?: My current role is the first time that I have been in a position to directly help my institutions access and throughput problems. Connecting with others and utilizing webinars has added more tools in my toolbox to bring back to my organization.
What tips or advice would you give new members?: Never stop learning. Some topics that PAC has are outside the wheelhouse for my position, but you never know when a topic may all of a sudden come up. For example, I have nothing to do with employee recruitment, but I plan to attend the "Work-(Far)-From-Home" webinar where I can learn a little bit more about recruitment and retention and possibly glean some information that I could possibly provide others at my organization
What do you love most about your job?: Connecting with different medical specialties across my organization. I have worked mainly in oncology and university health, so being able to learn about other medical specialties when I am leading access projects in our medical practices is really interesting. Understanding their specialty also provides some perspective on how to lead the project as well.
What meaningful project are you working on right now?: My sole role at my organization is leading projects in our different practices to help improve access and throughput of patients. Especially after the height of the pandemic, this is the most meaningful work I have been doing. Ensuring patients can get access to services is not only important to them, but also our organization.
What career advice do you live by?: Get uncomfortable. I would say that I am a pretty introverted person, not the most social and prefer a good book over people. This of course makes it a challenge being a project manager and in healthcare as a whole. To be successful, I have always tire to make myself a little uncomfortable knowing that it will help me grow. One example is public speaking, some people are really good at it and I was always envious of them. To get better at it I just had to be uncomfortable and get it done. I still have a bit of anxiety when it comes to it, but living by being just a little bit uncomfortable has help so much.
Where are you from? Where did you go to school?: Born and raised in the bitter cold of New England. I completed my undergrad at the University of New Hampshire and my MBA at Southern New Hampshire University
What are your hobbies?: I love to read and be outdoors. My fiancé and I own a farm in northern New Hampshire which has been our project for the last two years. New Hampshire is known for its dairy farms, and ours dates back to the early 1800's. The 200+ year old barn is still standing and we have been working to preserve it.
Where is your favorite place you've travelled?: Before my career in healthcare I spent 7 years in the US Army traveling to places in the Middle East and in Central America. Those are probably the most interesting places, but my most favorite is right here in my home state, the White Mountain National Forest. Its a beautiful area of untouched land with some great hiking and views.
What's a fun fact that people probably don't know about you?: I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to Honey Bees. We keep five honey bee hives on our farm (with plans to possibly double the size next year) and I love the inner workings of the hive and how they function as a collective. Absolutely fascinating and a ton of fun!
Who inspires you and why?: I'd have to say my fiancé (soon to be wife in 400 days). We have been together for the last seven years and she has been amazingly supportive in all that I do from career to having a farm. I would be lost with out her!