The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN) has honored four young hospital leaders with its prestigious “4 Under 40” Hospital Leadership Awards at the annual conference on November 14, 2024. Among the recipients is Wyatt Brieser, VP of Operations at Hammond-Henry Hospital in Geneseo, recognized for his extensive contributions, including significant upgrades in hospital services and leadership through the challenging COVID period. Fellow awardees include Jessica Delost of Gibson Area Hospital, Erin Frank from Horizon Health, and Kristy Wisslead of Memorial Hospital. These leaders exemplify exceptional dedication to healthcare and community service, with Brieser’s work in particular noted for advancing local health services and community programs, ensuring his impact resonates both within and beyond the walls of Hammond-Henry Hospital.
“As a leader and as a human being, Wyatt is someone to emulate. He ensures that every employee has a voice, from every department, in all walks of life. Everyone is equally important to him,” said Stephanie DeMay, Hammond-Henry Hospital Marketing Manager. “Admiration for Wyatt, his work ethic, and his expertise extend past the walls of the hospital, too. From our Hammond-Henry Hospital and Clinics community, his church community, multiple service organizations, and countless preschool through college-aged students, everyone appreciates Wyatt not only for his kindness and his humility, but his extraordinary ability to build others up in the process.”
Wyatt, a devoted community servant and medical professional, has significantly advanced healthcare offerings in Hammond-Henry’s facilities. His efforts have introduced essential services like neurology, chiropractic care, and pain management. Additionally, he has overseen key upgrades, enhancing equipment such as MRI and 3-D mammography systems. Beyond healthcare, Wyatt extends his expertise to local sports, managing athletic training for area events and bolstering sports programs for Geneseo and Annawan schools. Active in community service, he’s also a notable participant in the Geneseo Kiwanis Club and other local initiatives, proving his dedication to enriching his community.
“It would be impossible to name all the successful projects Wyatt has accomplished since first becoming hired at Hammond-Henry. However, one project stands at the forefront for him: managing the Hammond-Henry Hospital Long-Term Care Living Center through COVID including staffing, regulation changes, testing, and fear of losing a patient to COVID,” said DeMay. “Those years forced Wyatt to get comfortable outside his comfort zone. It forced him to strengthen his skills in creative thinking, problem solving, resiliency, accountability, hard work, and leadership and, as always, he met and exceeded the goal. Wyatt can also be proud of his success directing and managing the Long-Term Care Living Center in general as this facility has been named a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 5-Star facility for 12 years in a row.”
