TriHealth Team Member Adopts Friend's 3 Boys, Says Prayers Were Answered
Robin Flinchum didn’t want to save the world; she just wanted to be a mom. That’s what this year’s TriHealth Working Mother of the Year says about adopting her children.
“I’m not some hero or role model. I always wanted to be a mom and when the chance came I was fortunate to be in place to make it happen,” Robin says.
That chance came when a good friend of Robin’s passed away leaving behind three boys who were in foster care. Robin knew she had to do something. “I really felt like it was my answered prayer about becoming a mom.”
She was able to foster and then adopt one of her friend’s children, Bailee. However, two of Bailee’s siblings were still in foster care. After much waiting and paperwork, she was able to adopt Noah and Logan, reuniting the three brothers. She currently has a fourth child, a foster son too.
Robin, manager of Admitting and Registration for Bethesda North and Bethesda Butler Hospitals, has been a TriHealth team member for more than 11 years. She is involved with Firestarters, the Bethesda Auxiliary, and is a member of several committees. She is also active within her community and church, and is an advocate for AIDS prevention and adoption. She also recently graduated with her bachelor’s from the TriHealth cohort for Organizational Leadership at Mount St. Joseph University.
Her talents and abilities allowed her to advance rapidly into TriHealth management. She began her career as an Emergency Department registrar then became Lead of Admitting and Lead of Outpatient Registration before being promoted to Bethesda North Site Manager. As manager, her responsibilities have increased as she assumed the management of staff from additional facilities acquired from TriHealth’s expansion.
She was very surprised to have been named TriHealth’s 2015 Working Mother of the Year. “The fact that my team members nominated me is what means the most to me,” Robin says.
How does she manage to raise four boys as a single mom as well as work full time and engage in a number of other activities? “I have a great support system that helps keep me going,” she says. “It really does take a village to raise kids and I’m blessed to have so many people helping us.”
Robin hesitates to give advice to other working moms on keeping work life balance. “Not sure I do such a great job at that but that is one reason I work for TriHealth. I have great mentors here at TriHealth and I’m surrounded by wonderful staff. I’m fortunate to work for a place that values working moms.”
TriHealth Named a Working Mother 100 Best Company
A strong company culture, emphasis on work/life balance and numerous advancement opportunities for women are a few of the reasons
TriHealth was recognized as one of the 100 Best Companies for working moms. Working Mother Magazine selected TriHealth for the eleventh time for this honor.
Additionally, Robin Flinchum, Registration manager at Bethesda North, has been named TriHealth’s Working Mother of the Year.
"We're proud Working Mother Magazine has recognized TriHealth’s commitment to addressing the work and life needs of not only our working mothers, but all team members for an eleventh time," John Prout, CEO of TriHealth, says. "TriHealth remains committed to actively maintaining open communication with team members and providing the kinds of benefits and family-friendly policies that foster a positive working environment. This, in turn, creates people who can bring their best to all facets of their lives, including delivering the highest quality of care to our patients.”
Walter McLarty, Chief Human Resources officer, adds “This award once again means we have in place a number of programs and initiatives to help working mothers balance their careers and family life and is proof that these efforts are succeeding. We listen to and respond to the needs of our staff, and this helps us create an environment of support and collaboration.”
Award Background
Companies were selected for the 2015 Working Mother 100 Best Companies list based on an extensive application with more than 600 questions on a survey of benefits, women’s issues and advancement, childcare, flexible work arrangements, parental leave and company culture, both in terms of access and usage company-wide.
Honored companies will be recognized in an upcoming issue of the magazine, on workingmother.com and at the Work Life Congress in New York City in October.