As CEO of Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, Kiley Floyd exemplifies what it means to lead with purpose and adaptability in healthcare. She doesn’t settle for “this is the way we’ve always done it.” Instead, she’s a strategic leader pushing for innovation that meets the evolving needs of her rural Kansas community. Under her guidance, the hospital has grown in services, technology, and patient reach, despite the unique challenges faced by rural healthcare providers.
Leading with Resolve
Kiley’s career in healthcare wasn’t planned, but she found her calling early. Starting with a staffing firm, she was introduced to the Kansas City Area Hospital Association. This experience revealed her natural aptitude for healthcare administration. After more than a decade in that role, she transitioned to become the administrator of her hometown hospital—a leap of faith that set the course for her career. In this position, Kiley built her reputation for driving change, tackling healthcare’s biggest challenges with dedication, and inspiring those around her to think beyond the status quo.
Kiley’s vision for Nemaha Valley Community Hospital focuses on adaptability, a core value she instills in her team. “Patients and their needs are constantly changing,” she asserts. “We must be prepared to adapt, even if that means reassessing approaches that seem to be working fine.” Her leadership style is rooted in challenging assumptions, emphasizing that efficiency doesn’t have to compromise patient care.
Building a Resilient Hospital
Nemaha Valley Community Hospital serves a rural, agriculturally rich area in northeast Kansas, where the demand for accessible healthcare has only grown. For Kiley, balancing financial sustainability with high-quality care is paramount. In a sector where rural hospitals often struggle, she’s found ways to improve service delivery through collaboration and resource-sharing, even with nearby competitors. This approach has enabled Nemaha Valley to retain autonomy while providing comprehensive care to the community.
Innovation, for Kiley, means finding practical solutions that respect local needs and values. When it comes to staffing and resource management, her approach is hands-on. As the primary recruiter for medical staff, she’s deeply involved in building a team aligned with the hospital’s mission. She understands the value of connecting personally with patients, often finding her best insights from direct conversations with them.
Tackling Industry Challenges
In rural healthcare, regulations and compliance can be significant hurdles, and Kiley meets them head-on. From state and federal surveys to strict adherence to policies, she ensures Nemaha Valley remains compliant while focusing on patient-centered care. Recruiting and retaining talent in rural areas presents another challenge, but Kiley sees this as an opportunity to make a meaningful impact. She recruits staff who share her commitment to rural healthcare, often taking the time to mentor and develop her team personally.
For Kiley, the role of a CEO is not just about strategic oversight—it’s about accountability. She routinely checks in with each department, offering support where needed and handling any difficult conversations herself. By doing so, she shields her staff from unnecessary stress and empowers them to focus on delivering quality care.
A Leader Shaped by Experience
Throughout her career, Kiley has learned the importance of leadership through experience and observation. She’s seen the type of leader people respond to—and the type they don’t. Her approach emphasizes listening and acting on feedback, creating an environment where staff feel valued and heard. For Kiley, leadership is about more than achieving metrics; it’s about fostering a sense of accomplishment within her team and helping them reach their full potential.
Her selection for Leadership Kansas in 2018 stands out as a career highlight, offering her a broader perspective on Kansas’ healthcare landscape and the chance to strengthen her commitment to the people of her state.
A Vision for the Future
Kiley’s mission for Nemaha Valley Community Hospital is clear: it should remain a financially stable, patient-focused institution at the heart of northeast Kansas. She envisions a future where the hospital leads in healthcare innovation while preserving its rural values. To achieve this, she prioritizes open communication with her staff and continuous improvement. Kiley is committed to ensuring that the hospital’s legacy of care endures and evolves to meet future challenges.
In her own words, “Our community deserves the best care we can offer, and it’s our job to make sure we’re ready for whatever comes next.” As a leader, Kiley Floyd brings purpose and resilience to rural healthcare, setting a standard of excellence and adaptability for her organization and for the community she serves.
