John Hestand – St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center

Since 1951, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center has provided compassionate, high-quality healthcare to Enid and Northwest Oklahoma residents. With a commitment to superior patient care, the hospital has earned national recognition, including the Joint Commission’s Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement and the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check Mark for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. St. Mary’s was also the first hospital in the state to achieve The Joint Commission’s Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement, solidifying its reputation for excellence in orthopedic care. St. Mary’s has received the highest scores for patient satisfaction in the UHS company and scored an A in Leap Frog.

With 240 beds, St. Mary’s serves as the largest hospital in the area, offering a comprehensive range of services, including cardiovascular care, neurosciences, orthopedics, behavioral health, emergency medicine, outpatient oncology, robotic surgery, and physical rehabilitation.

The hospital’s structure, originally built in the 1950s, has undergone numerous renovations and expansions to accommodate new medical technologies and patient needs. With an emphasis on medical advancements and patient comfort, St. Mary’s has transitioned to all private rooms, allowing for increased privacy and a more personalized healthcare experience.

John Hestand, director of facilities, is at the helm of the hospital’s infrastructure and maintenance. With a career spanning decades, Hestand began his journey in the 1970s as a hospital painter.

“I stayed close to healthcare by getting the right licenses to expand my opportunities,” he explains. His dedication and willingness to learn opened doors to leadership positions, eventually leading him to oversee engineering at Oklahoma City University of Edmond before moving into healthcare facility management. His career took him to Texas and California before returning to Oklahoma, where he has spent nearly 15 years at St. Mary’s.

His responsibilities extend beyond facilities management.

“I take care of the facilities and the infrastructure of the campus. I’m also the hospital safety officer, emergency management coordinator, and security director, so I oversee all those platforms.”
Managing multiple departments requires a deep understanding of hospital operations and regulatory compliance, where Hestand excels.

Challenges and innovation

Managing an aging hospital comes with its own set of challenges. Since stepping into his role, Hestand has overseen significant infrastructure improvements, including replacing four air handling units, two chillers, two generators, and the hospital’s primary electrical distribution system.

“You get equipment that is 50 years old, greater than the typical lifecycle. Some of it is energy-related, and we continue to add digital controls, which allow us to monitor systems remotely,” he says. This also helps us manage our productivity and put boots on the ground where needed.

With modernized digital controls, the hospital can now track air quality, room temperatures, humidity and overall system efficiency in real-time, enhancing both patient safety and energy efficiency.

Budget constraints also add complexity to his role.

“Budget constraints in healthcare are becoming an ever-increasing challenge. Facilities need to scratch and claw for every infrastructure dollar. We must allocate resources carefully, especially when sharing limited dollars with competing needs at the hospital. Despite these challenges, he ensures that critical infrastructure upgrades remain a priority through the 5-year infrastructure plan.”

Some projects that help update crucial diagnostic equipment, like upgrading MRI machines or replacing an X-ray system, must be balanced with infrastructure allocations, he explains.

Beyond the facility itself, managing vendor contracts presents another challenge.

“We have to have contracts for any service vendors that come out here, so we have to establish a contract, and we have to continue to monitor those contracts and keep them up to date, right with the changing legal aspects of doing business in healthcare,” he explains.

With over 250 policies and procedures to oversee, compliance with regulations such as HIPAA, the EPA, and The Joint Commission standards is a key part of his job. Regulatory compliance drives our focus on safety and patient care, and infrastructure upgrades enhance our ability to perform these tasks effectively.

The future of facilities

Looking ahead, Hestand remains focused on increasing the hospital’s longevity while integrating modern technologies. From upgrading to LED smart TVs and implementing advanced IT communication systems to balancing capital allocations for necessary medical equipment, his strategic planning helps keep St. Mary’s at the forefront of healthcare innovation.

“Your facility’s mechanical systems are the heartbeat of the hospital. Without the utility equipment, you can’t provide an environment that promotes quality health care,” he emphasizes.

Beyond infrastructure, patient satisfaction remains a priority. The hospital has made aesthetic upgrades to enhance the patient experience, such as improved lighting, updated flooring, and remodeled common areas. Additionally, location challenges, such as flooding risks from a nearby creek, have required investment in retaining walls and other environmental safeguards to protect the hospital grounds.

Hestand’s leadership extends beyond St. Mary’s. As a former president of the Oklahoma Chapter of Healthcare Engineers, he has built a strong network of industry professionals. He continues to advocate for best practices in hospital facilities management.

“Certifications, awards, and recognition have been important. All those things have molded me into the facilities leader I am now,” he reflects. His passion for learning is evident—his office is filled with books on engineering, hospital operations, and leadership, underscoring his dedication to continuous improvement.

Hestand’s leadership ensures that St. Mary’s remains a top-tier healthcare provider in Oklahoma, with an infrastructure supporting cutting-edge medical technology and the hospital’s long-standing commitment to exceptional patient care. His ability to balance financial constraints, modernization efforts, and regulatory requirements makes him invaluable to the hospital’s success.