History is made for UNM and the College of Nursing
By Nicole San Roman
Adrian Larson is UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center's New Chief Operating Officer
Meet SRMC’s New Chief Operating Officer
The windows are glinting like diamonds with the summer sun at UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center (SRMC). Inside, the halls hum with chatter and the sounds of purposeful footsteps as hospital staff move from one patient room to the next. Up on the 4th floor, in the administrative suites, where longtime hospital leaders have their spots, there’s an office that stands out a bit from the rest. Stepping inside, the walls are bare, no pictures are up, and the desk is free of clutter, but it won’t be that way for long. SRMC’s new Chief Operating Officer (COO) Adrian Larson is getting settled. He laughs as he talks about his first big achievement.
“I'm officially not getting lost on the way to the work,” Larson said, “The first 10 days was I was going the wrong way on Broadmoor and Unser, but I've learned to use the mountains.”
On the job for a little over a month now, Larson brings with him over 13 years of health care leadership experience to SRMC. Prior to coming to New Mexico, he was in Del Rio, Texas, where he was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of freestanding emergency rooms that converted to micro hospitals. Before that, he was COO at Mountain View Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces, a Level III Trauma Center, similar to SRMC.
It’s also where Larson was in 2020, when COVID-19 changed everything.
“The team there really holds a dear place in my heart because we went through a lot of the unknowns together during the first parts of the pandemic,” he said.
Now at SRMC, Larson will oversee the hospital’s Support Services Division, Quality, Radiology, Lab, and Pharmacy. He will eventually oversee Nursing and Ambulatory services.
“It's been a blessing honestly, to be here be part of the team. I think the part that has been the most rewarding is meeting really good people.”
In his first month Larson’s been impressed by the positive, patient-centered culture at SRMC and gives credit to the hospital’s long-standing executive leadership team, something that Larson says is rare.
“I value the leadership team and the stability here. It’s a very challenging environment right now in health care with demands being placed upon the team unlike any that have been seen before. As the new kid on the block, I think it's it speaks highly of leadership’s desire to be part of the team and stay here. It also speaks very highly of the environment that they've been able to sustain and continue to build on.”
Over the course of the next couple of months, Larson says one of his first goals is to learn and listen.
“Coming into an organization can be overwhelming. But for me, I enjoy immersing myself in what's new and understanding what's working and not working and trying to get as much information from the frontline staff to the other executives.”
At home, Larson and his wife of nearly 14 years, Audrey, have their own team to lead, three kids ages 12, 9 and 8 and two pups.
“It's a busy home life. The joke is that I get to come to work to get away from the chaos that is home,” Larson says smiling. “All the kids are extremely active in sports. We really like the discipline and the teamwork environment that sports and athletics bring; the boys play football, soccer, baseball, and my daughter does cheer.”
Having a strong partner at home has been key to Larson’s success both personally and professionally. His wife, a nurse, practiced until their third child was born.
I value the leadership team and the stability here. It’s a very challenging environment right now in health care with demands being placed upon the team unlike any that have been seen before…I think it's it speaks highly of leadership’s desire to be part of the team and stay here. It also speaks very highly of the environment that they've been able to sustain and continue to build on.
“At that time, we had a heart to heart about what was best for our family,” Larson said that’s when his wife decided to stay home with their kids, “It’s been a blessing.”
“My wife does a great job of reminding me that I need to show up to activities, making sure things are on my calendar, to be present for my kids, She also continues to challenge me whenever I talk to her about work, because she has a the brain of a nurse and is always advocating to make sure that I'm supporting the nurses and making things as easy as possible for the team,” Larson said.
“I don't necessarily think with my heart sometimes and she softens me and has made me a better leader because of that.”
What motivates you?
“Failure. Failure is the main driver that motivates me. You fail and you have to figure out how to get back up and succeed and do what you need to do to continue to be a good person and be a good leader.”
Explain Management by Wandering Around
“I use a trait called management by wandering around. Whenever I have free time, I start walking around the hospital, introducing myself to people trying to understand what they want to do, what's going on, and talking to them about what their experiences are like. The first time everyone's kind of apprehensive, they're like, ‘What are you doing?’ But today, I went back to the emergency room, and the nurses know my name and we were able to talk. I get to be as close to the to the caregivers and to the patients as possible. And that's what I like.”
What’s something that can instantly make your day better?
“Getting a call from my kids, or getting a hug from my kids, seeing my kids. When they just call and say hi or FaceTime me, or beg me to come home. It’s that tug at the heart knowing that you're wanted. It really motivates me and keeps me grounded. I may not be able to get home to see them, but it helps me refocus and understand that they're important, and reminds me why I love doing what I'm doing because it's helped me provide a better life for my family as well.”
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