2016 Health Care Champions Administrator: Susan Hinck

Susan Hinck is more than an Ozarks’ health care administrator. She’s a student, teacher and co-author of a white paper that served as the foundation for the Obama administration’s health care reforms.

Having served as a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy fellow for three years, Hinck spent 16 months in Washington, D.C., as a team member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, under majority member Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana. It was during that time the reform legislation that would come to be known as Obamacare was drafted.

“I co-authored the Baucus ‘Call to Action! Health Care Reform 2009’ white paper that was the foundation of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and was distributed to senators to explain key concepts of the legislation,” she says.

Hinck has led Haven Home Health LLC, dba Haven Home Health & Therapy, in Ozark as administrator since its beginnings in 2012. She considers her fellowship work on the Senate finance committee as her proudest professional accomplishment.

In addition to learning about national health care policy, she traveled to Louisiana and Massachusetts as an RWJ fellow and learned about state health care systems.

“The Massachusetts model of health care policy, guided by former Republican Gov. Mitt Romney, was the model for the ACA that became law in 2010. In contrast to the well-developed structure of Massachusetts, Louisiana showed the struggles of a health care system in shambles and recovering from Hurricane Katrina,” Hinck says.

As a representative of Sen. Baucus, she also was able to study health care in Montana.

“Each of the three states provided a different perspective, population, strengths and challenges. As a result of an in-depth study of health and health care in each state, I have a broader understanding of how policy can be tailored to meet the needs of the culture and population of an area,” Hinck says. “This knowledge has helped me to join with others in Missouri as health care policy is drafted.”

Between 2009 and 2012, she served as a contracted health policy consultant with Missouri Health Advocacy Alliance, analyzing and educating on federal and state health policies. In addition to her current role leading operations for a home health agency serving 13 counties, she continues to shape health care delivery as an adviser for programs and quality measures for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Hinck credits her doctoral research 15 years ago at Saint Louis University with laying the foundation. Now, through Haven Home Health & Therapy, Hinck is helping aging seniors in the area retain their independence.

“My professional motivation is to live a life fulfilled by helping others,” says Hinck, who worked from 1992 to 2005 at CoxHealth as a certified gerontological clinical nurse specialist. “Haven Home Health & Therapy helps older individuals and families thrive, while also helping employees grow, learn and live fulfilled professional lives.”