Matthews named Bluffton Hospital administrator

BLUFFTON — Renee Matthews, RN, has been named the new administrator of Bluffton Hospital, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System. Matthews, a Bluffton native, has worked for BVHS in various roles, beginning as an emergency department technician at Bluffton Hospital. She attended Bluffton High School, graduating in 1998 and moved on to earn a bachelor's degree in social work from Anderson University, Indiana, followed by her nursing degree from Rhodes State College in Lima. In 2014 she became a nurse at Blanchard Valley Hospital and Bluffton Hospital in roles ranging from emergency department nurse to medical/surgical nursing supervisor. Most recently, she served as clinical manager of Blanchard Valley Obstetrics and Gynecology in both Findlay and Bluffton. "I was just always drawn to helping others," she said. Even in high school, she worked as a state-tested nurse's aide and took post-secondary classes in psychology and sociology at Bluffton College (now Bluffton University). She explored hospital social work while pursuing a social work degree and quickly realized how much she loved the hospital setting. "I enjoyed meeting people where they were and connecting them to needed resources. It allowed me to feel like I was making a difference, and I have continued that commitment to forging connections and relationships throughout my career," she said. Both Matthews and members of her immediate and extended family were born in Bluffton Hospital, including her youngest daughter. Her late mother worked for 30 years as a housekeeper in the environmental services department and then as a volunteer after her retirement. "Bluffton Hospital simply feels like part of who I am," Matthews said. Working in the emergency department helped her see how healthcare serves a community and how healthcare organizations and their communities are deeply intertwined, she said. "The emergency department doesn't turn anyone away," she said. "In that setting, we cared for our community and got to know people from all walks of life. They would come in at their most vulnerable, and we were there to help."