Get to Know Jay Guffey from Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital Springfield

His vision for the role

“The first thing for me is co-worker and physician engagement. I feel very strongly about getting involved with our physicians and our staff and understanding their roles.”

Why Mercy was the right fit for him

“It goes back to starting out as a clinician working at the [patient] bedside. For me, it’s about the values Mercy represents within all work efforts. It’s a good fit with my own personal values.”

Where he looks for inspiration

"Really getting engaged in [service] activities—that opportunity to serve others that have needs that we can meet. My favorite part [about service] is interacting with different people. I get a lot more out of [service] than I could ever give.” (Editor’s note: Guffey is involved with several international service organizations.)

What keeps him up at night

“It’s always about doing the right thing for our patients and the families we serve. Everything we do in health care is complicated. It has to be done the right way and at the right time just because of the way we deliver care. We have to stay vigilant, and I’m really proud of this team here because they’ve designed processes that do that… And, certainly as a country, some of the things I worry about are health care funding and financing and making sure we’re appropriately addressing those issues.”

Advice he would give his younger self

“One thing is patience. It’s [knowing] that things don’t always happen like you think they’re going to but understanding time will give you opportunities if you allow them to happen. Also, stay committed. You have to keep your focus.”