Meet Andy Mannich, Regional Hospital Administrator for Georgia Regional Hospital in Savannah

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Andy Mannich, Regional Hospital Administrator, Georgia Regional Hospital in Savannah

H. Andrew Mannich, or Andy as he prefers to be called, joined the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities team on May 1, 2013, as the Regional Hospital Administrator for Georgia Regional Hospital in Savannah. Prior to joining our team, Andy was the Chief Operating Officer for the Saint Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center, a 180-bed long-term state psychiatric hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. He also has extensive experience in leadership positions at hospitals located in Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Andy holds a Master of Public Health from the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.  Andy’s supervisor, Emile Risby, M.D., stated, 

“Andy is always composed and a delightful gentleman, which is surprising given he went to the University of Alabama (I’m sure the Auburn alumni understand what I mean). He has done a great job as the Regional Hospital Administrator at Georgia Regional Hospital in Savannah. What is of great importance to me is [that] his leadership style promotes a productive work environment that is free of harassment and discrimination. Andy is a great addition to the DBHDD team.”  

Recently Andy took time from his busy calendar to speak with David Sofferin about how he manages his time at work and what his greatest talent is away from work. 

1. What is the first thing you do in the morning when you wake-up?

If it’s a weekday, I’ll usually check my e-mails to see if there’s been any hospital related communications that I might need to know about. I’ll be on the road to work around 6:30 AM and often stop for breakfast at a favorite diner.

1.  What is the first thing you do when you arrive at work?

Get a cup of coffee and answer or compose emails or other communications. Check my calendar for that day. At 8:30, I’ll attend morning administrative report where we review the last 24 hours’ worth of admissions, incidents, and any other noteworthy developments.

1.  How often do you round and meet with your staff?

I have an open door to any member of the staff. Although I don’t always make it because of things that interfere, I try to visit at least one unit/department each week. I interact most every day with all my senior leadership staff.

1.  How much time do you spend with your direct reports?

It varies from day to day, but I’ll usually interact with each of them daily. We do have set times every week to meet by appointment, but they will come see me at other times if circumstances warrant, or I’ll go see them if something comes up. It’s usually pretty informal.

1.  What is the most challenging part of your day?

Quite often towards the end of it. That’s particularly so on Fridays. That’s because things have festered all week, and we get to the weekend and everybody must have whatever’s bothered them all week solved RIGHT THEN. Naturally, that corresponds precisely to the time frame in which the available resources with which to assist them ( that is, people ) are rapidly diminishing.

1.  What do you consider your greatest talent or skill outside of work?

I particularly enjoy the shooting sports, trap and skeet primarily. I enjoy the outdoors very much and grew up hunting on my grandfather’s farm with my dad. Still enjoy getting in the field whenever I can. I’m a certified diver and still enjoy diving when I can get to Florida in the summer. I also enjoy flying radio-controlled model planes as well.

1.  What are some of the key goals you hope to accomplish in Fiscal Year 2020?

Complete our new treatment mall and determine how best to employ additional bed capacity which will be coming available. Establish as routine for our organization better training regimens for our frontline staff to assist them to better care for our individuals. 

1.  What do you consider your greatest achievement so far at Georgia Regional Hospital/Savannah?

Providing opportunity and creating an environment that hopefully fosters development of our staff, particularly younger supervisors and managers. Through this process, creating an organization that is mission focused, with a diverse group of leaders, and that is not dependent upon any individual for its success.