Name: Lynn Hanzlik
Title: Clinic Manager
Hobbies: Her children, ranch, and animals
Bio: She was born in the very same hospital that she now works at. For Lynn Hanzlik, the Clinic Manager for the Crook County Medical Services District, her career has come full circle and she wouldn’t trade that circle for anything.
“I grew up in Sundance,” Hanzlik said. “I was actually born in this hospital. And I think growing up on a ranch and taking care of animals; I just had a passion and a love for caring for things, not just people.”
Hanzlik graduated high school in Sundance and then moved to South Dakota, where she met a man, fell in love, and became a mother. She said motherhood also drew her into nursing and she eventually realized that she wanted to take care of others; not just her children, her animals, or herself.
Hanzlik graduated from the University of South Dakota in 2004. Shortly thereafter, she began working in
acute care type settings, including hospitals, neonatal intensive care areas, and more.
“I kind of liked the challenge in my younger days,” she said.
Hanzlik began working for clinics in 2006 and that is where she remains to this day, at CCMSD.
Hanzlik began working for the Crook County Medical Services District as a staff clinic nurse and, within the last three months, she was promoted to Clinic Manager.
With that position, she has a lot of responsibility, and it’s not something she takes lightly. With three clinics, Hanzlik stays busy but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“We know we’re going up against other big names, and I think we have a reputation and hopefully we can
continue to keep this reputation as hometown caregivers that give the best care,” she stated. “I think our patients feel like we actually know them when they come in. Some of them have been our teachers, our
librarians, our neighbors. We’re not just a big-name corporation that comes in and the patients are just a
number. Here, it’s personal.”
When asked what separates CCMSD from their competitors, Hanzlik didn’t hesitate to answer.
“We offer personal, specialized care,” she said. “We’ve got the convenience of not having to drive far away to receive care. Our ER is available 24/7. If our community needs us, we’re here. The clinic is trying really hard to help out our patients to get in, in a timely manner. I think availability in our small community is really good.”
Community is the theme with the Crook County Medical Services District. It’s at the heart of everything they do.
“It’s a family here,” Hanzlik said. “We are a family. Everybody knows everybody else. When a new face comes in, we welcome them. We try to make everybody feel comfortable and confident in our facilities, employee-wise and patient-wise as well.”
Hanzlik intends to keep up the good work, herself. Even though she is the clinic manager, she will always be a nurse at heart; always eager to help when and where and however she can.
“I think to be a nurse, it’s kind of like being a superhero,” she said. “You realize that people depend on you and you don’t want to let them down. It’s a hard job. Even when you’re off the clock, you’re still a nurse. And in a small community, people know that and they know how to get ahold of you. And so, it’s a little superpower of all of ours, just to even be in healthcare.”