Now, as COO of the 263-bed Lovelace Medical Center in Albuquerque — a role she began in January — she is committed to making access to care for New Mexicans a top priority. She also serves as COO of Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center, the state’s only hospital dedicated exclusively to cardiovascular care.
Lovelace Health System’s centralized one-call system has been key in expanding access, contributing to a 90% acceptance rate and providing access to the highest level of care for patients in rural areas, Ms. Armijo told Becker’s.
In her new role, she is focused on growth, expanding service lines and driving efficiencies. Key parts of her strategy are fostering a strong culture and enhancing engagement to support retention.
“When you think about continuing to expand access, grow critically needed programs and new procedures via research at the Heart Hospital, it’s crucial that we recruit physician specialists for continued growth and access to care,” she said. “That to me is a little bit of a stressor.”
Ms. Armijo highlighted the challenges posed by New Mexico’s rising medical malpractice award caps.
“It becomes challenging as we are seeing a deficit in insurance companies willing to cover medical malpractice in New Mexico,” she said. “Additionally, it impacts our ability to recruit physicians because they are hesitant to come to New Mexico due to the extremely high medical malpractice caps.”
Between 2019 and 2024, the state lost an estimated 248 practicing physicians, Ms. Armijo said.
Alongside her efforts to build a strong culture, technology is playing a critical role in addressing workforce challenges and reducing burnout. One example is BioButton, a wearable device that helps detect early changes in vital sign trends, reducing workloads for Lovelace nurses.
