Pomerene Hospital CEO Anne Gunther fitting right in

Anne Gunther has been around the medical world all her adult life, and her experience both as a nurse and administrator made her the perfect candidate to fill the role of president and CEO of Pomerene Hospital when the need arose several months ago.

Since coming on board, Gunther has made strides in fulfilling a host of needs at the hospital and has come to realize the joy of working in a rural community hospital.

Gunther accepted the job less than one year ago and quickly adapted to the role of CEO as she learned the ins and outs of Pomerene Hospital.

She said the one biggest asset the hospital has is its people.

“Pomerene is all about the people,” Gunther said. “We have absolutely great people and a wonderful medical staff that understands the value and importance of taking care of every person who comes in and puts their trust in us.”

She said not only has she quickly realized the value, dedication and talent among the staff, but also the patients who have come in have been equally impressive, mainly because they have expressed great appreciation for everything the staff does in providing quality care.

She said the feedback she and the staff have received during her short time as CEO from the patients has been satisfying to hear.

Gunther, who lives in Dover with her husband Mike, a retired longtime teacher and coach at Dover High School, got into the medical field as a nurse after graduating. She served as a nurse for nearly four decades, beginning her career as an emergency room nurse at Aultman Hospital before moving up into a leadership role in the ER. Eventually, she moved into a role in in-patient and later moved into a role in executive leadership in in-patient care.

She said that upbringing and experience provided a great deal of insight into the inner workings of a hospital and the importance of providing quality, compassionate care for people who come in experiencing great fear of the unknown.

“Through my experience I feel like I truly understand what patients and staff are going through in both moments of happiness and moments of pure sadness and fear,” Gunther said.

She said those times of despair and sadness are unfortunately part of every hospital experience, and that is when the care and expertise side of working in a hospital gives way to the compassion and love of people who are hurting in very real and vulnerable ways.

“You walk with these people through difficult times,” she said.

Having served as the president of Aultman Hospital prior to coming to Pomerene, Gunther was fortunate to have familiarity with Pomerene because Aultman has a hospital management agreement with Pomerene.

“When the board called and said it needed some help, I raised my hand and said I’d go,” Gunther said of the move to Pomerene.

She said the welcome she received upon her arrival at Pomerene was invigorating, from the board and doctors to nurses, staff and patients.

She said she also has met with numerous community leaders and found all of them to be genuine, nice and welcoming.

“As I get to know the community more every day, I’ve been very impressed with the business community and what they are doing in Holmes County,” Gunther said.

She said one big advantage to making the move was living in neighboring Tuscarawas County provided her with plenty of opportunities to drive over and visit the area long before the idea of becoming Pomerene’s new CEO ever came up. She said she and her husband have spent plenty of time in Amish Country, visiting many of its shopping areas.

“This community is impressive,” Gunther said, adding she has already become a member of the Holmes County Economic Development Council. “I’m so impressed with the entrepreneurial spirit, the technology and the hard-working attitude of the people here.”

She said perhaps the most notable thing about Holmes County has been the commitment to family values.

She said she continues to work with the board on strategic planning to ensure Pomerene Hospital remains a valuable part of Holmes County for decades to come.

“It’s important to know where you’re going, even as you do your best to take care of people in the present,” Gunther said.

Gunther’s kind personality and expertise have already endeared her to many in the community, and she is eager to continue to build relationships and provide leadership as Pomerene Hospital provides quality care.