The more things change, the more Dwayne Gaeddert stays the same

Dwayne Gaeddert has been with the organization for so long he can’t even remember, although he thinks he probably started at Lutheran in 1982. Back when he got hired, of course, Lutheran wasn’t part of any healthcare system. It was just Lutheran.  

“The facility director there at the time had a vision of getting rid of the general contractor,” Dwayne says. “He wanted to establish a construction company in-house, and that’s what he did. 

At one time, we had seven carpenters, three electricians and three plumbers.” 

Dwayne was part of that crew. And true to the vision, the crew did pretty much everything, from cabinetry to full department remodels. Dwayne held a general contractor’s license on behalf of the organization for 30 years, while the organization went from Lutheran to Exempla to SCL Health.  

He became a construction manager, and then later took over maintenance (which he “knew the basics” of) and became facility manager.

“I got really into being involved on the clinical units, on the floors,” says Dwayne. “I enjoyed the interaction. I love that I’m always learning things.” 

So when he got the offer to take over ambulatory facilities for the entire Peaks Region last year, at first he was hesitant. Lutheran was moving to a new campus, and Dwayne had a lot of time and effort invested in facilitating that move. He also knew it represented an enormous learning opportunity: new technology, new systems, new specs. 

“My boss actually told me something,” Dwayne says. “He goes, ‘Dwayne, the day after it opens, it’s just a hospital.’ And so, you know, I thought, well, that’s true.” 

Besides, there was a lot he could do in ambulatory, which had never had its own facilities management. Until Dwayne took over, clinics just shared maintenance with the nearest care site. That arrangement often meant clinics were low on the priority list.  

“Some of the clinics that are out on the outskirts and not close to any hospital weren’t getting any support,” he says. “The clinic managers would bring their spouses in on the weekend to change lightbulbs.” 

Just as he had made it his business to know his administrators and department heads at Lutheran, Dwayne went about establishing trusting relationships with clinic managers. They often express their gratitude via tiered huddle kudos.  

He politely passes those “kudos to the crews.” But he also touches base with all his clinic managers regularly, keeps a pulse on their issues and makes sure the crews stay on top of them. Perhaps more importantly, he seeks their input on how he’s doing.  

It’s how he’s always done it, and that consistency, no doubt, is a big part of what’s allowed him to weather change after change in an ever-evolving industry. He doesn’t mind. He just keeps working the way he knows best. 

“It got to the point at Lutheran I was pulling out cabinets I’d put in years before,” he says and laughs. “That’s how it goes. Nothing stays very long in healthcare.”