Tanya CarroccioGila Regional Medical Center (GRMC), a 68-bed acute care hospital serving Grant County in southwest New Mexico, today announced the appointment of Tanya Carroccio, MSN RN, as Chief Quality Officer. Ms. Carroccio is relocating from Phoenix, AZ but is originally from Southern New Mexico. Born and raised at White Sands Missile Range, her father moved the family to Las Cruces after military retirement. Ms. Carroccio received her initial nursing degree at New Mexico State University, and is due to graduate this May with her doctorate from Arizona State University's College of Nursing and Healthcare Innovation.

Ms. Carroccio has extensive experience in acute care settings, both as a Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Clinical Officer. She is a current faculty assistant for ASU nursing research classes, as well as working as a Research Fellow in a Mayo Clinic and ASU Biodesign grant funded feasibility study. She also served as Director of Quality and Performance Improvement at the Washington State Hospital Association, where she worked with and supported over 90 hospitals with CMS Partnership for Patients initiatives, which supports patient safety in hospitals. Ms. Carroccio played a key role with the WA State Chief Medical Officer Collaborative, including state-wide rollouts as project lead for the Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest and Choosing Wisely Washington strategic call to actions. Most recently Ms. Carroccio served as a clinical outcome specialist for a patient engagement tech company, where she worked with the Veteran Health Administration in Phoenix to improve patient engagement using technology.

When asked why she was interested in Silver City, Ms. Carroccio responded, "I have a few reasons why I chose Silver City and GRMC. My parents still live in Deming, and I have been commuting for almost two decades to visit them. They are now of the age that I need to be closer. I have been to Silver many times to bring my parents to the VA clinic, as well as enjoy many of the city and university public activities. I have met some of the most wonderful people over the years, it just feels like home. When GRMC had this opportunity, and I met with the incredibly dedicated CEO and staff, I knew right away this was going to be my new hospital."

Ms. Carroccio added, "I realize there will always be unique challenges with an independent rural community hospital; however, I envision continuing to uphold the mission of GRMC through a continuous quality and patient safety focus and culture. I am excited about working with the highly supportive senior leadership team, hospital leaders and staff towards a goal of being "customer safety and service obsessed" and look forward to having the community support necessary to reach the top of the quality charts.

Ms. Carroccio is married, with 4 grown children and 3 young grandchildren.