Challenge
When Rolland “Boomer” Bojo returned in June 2021 to lead UHS Delaware Valley Hospital, the organization was stable but not progressing. Although the hospital was financially sound, it was not meaningfully improving access or expanding services. For a region with limited healthcare options, this status quo left the community underserved.
Compounding the issue, the financial picture in 2020 and 2021 was artificially elevated by the CARES Act and PPP relief funds . By 2022, as federal support receded, the hospital’s underlying revenue and margin flattened. The true baseline revealed a small, stagnant facility with no clear growth trajectory.
Boomer’s goal was straightforward: the community needed more access points, updated imaging, expanded primary and specialty care, and a mindset shift away from “getting by” toward building long-term sustainability. To accomplish that, he needed a partner with both technical expertise and a philosophy aligned with his belief in meeting community needs through growth.
Through New York’s federally funded rural health grant program, the hospital partnered with Stroudwater Associates, initiating a series of strategy sessions and cost-report reviews beginning in 2022 . From the start, Stroudwater’s leadership philosophy of abundance reflected precisely what Boomer was trying to achieve.
Process
1. Establishing a true financial baseline
The first step was a full cost report review, which surfaced additional reimbursement opportunities and helped the hospital stabilize post-pandemic. The project allowed the leadership team to see their real financial position once federal relief dollars fell away.
This clarity gave Boomer the confidence and cash flow to begin reinvesting in the hospital’s core access needs.
2. A partnership built on strategic dialogue
Rather than delivering a static plan, Stroudwater engaged Boomer through:
- Recurring strategy conversations
- Quarterly New York Critical Access Hospital (CAH) collaborative meetings
- Ongoing executive-to-executive guidance
These sessions reinforced a consistent message: You cannot cut your way to community access. You expand your way to financial sustainability.
Boomer credits these conversations with helping him operationalize his philosophy and move faster than he could have on his own.
3. The New York CAH collaborative: Transparency and shared accountability
Beginning in 2022, Boomer became an active participant in the statewide CAH meetings coordinated by Stroudwater. The collaborative:
- Required full transparency of financial and operational data
- Highlighted high-performing hospitals to create clear benchmarks
- Helped CEOs learn directly from peers
- Aligned leaders around a growth-first strategy for rural care
Boomer notes that this learning community “removed the secrets” and created a culture where improvement was both expected and supported.
4. Rapid operationalization of the abundance mindset
Beginning in late 2022 and accelerating through 2023 and 2024, UHS Delaware Valley Hospital began making targeted investments based on community demand. Examples include:
- Added full-time orthopedics
- Expanded cardiology coverage
- Hired a diabetes educator and diabetes NP
- Installed the county’s only full-time MRI
- Upgraded CT and radiology equipment
- Expanded primary care
- Opened a walk-in clinic
- Added more advanced cardiac studies
These upgrades substantially increased access within 12 to 24 months, not several years.
Results
The measurable impact of this partnership became visible almost immediately.
Financial Transformation (2022–2024)
- Revenue: Increased from approximately 29 million in 2021 to an estimated 60 million plus in 2024.
- Margin: Grew from 8% in 2021 to 22% in 2024.
- Days cash on hand: Rose from approximately 20 days earlier in the decade to 403 days in 2024.
- Net income: Increased from roughly 600 thousand annually to 14 million last year, with 10.8 million through September 2024 alone.
Most importantly, the transformation from 2022 to 2024 occurred after all pandemic relief funds dissipated. The gains were driven by true operational and service-line expansion.
Access and Service-Line Growth
Across the two-year period:
- The hospital improved access across primary, specialty, and diagnostic care.
- Imaging capacity dramatically increased, reducing delays in patient care.
- Walk-in access improved overall community throughput.
- Specialty care availability expanded for the first time in years.
Staff Engagement and Culture
- Staff engagement increased by 48% between 2023 and 2024.
- Leadership rounding expanded across departments.
- An internal staffing program decreased reliance on travelers.
- Cultural transparency improved across clinical and operational teams.
A Transformational Investment in Community Health
Under Boomer’s direction, UHS Delaware Valley Hospital has undergone a comprehensive transformation across services, patient experience, staff engagement, and financial performance. Building on this momentum, construction will begin in November 2025 on the largest healthcare investment in Delaware County’s history: an 85-million-dollar Medical Neighborhood complex at UHS DVH.
This new addition will modernize the campus, expand access, and ensure high-quality healthcare for residents of Delaware County and surrounding areas for decades to come. The project is a direct outcome of the hospital’s strengthened financial position and commitment to growth.
Impact
The partnership between UHS Delaware Valley Hospital and Stroudwater Associates demonstrates the power of pairing strategic expertise with a leadership philosophy centered on abundance rather than contraction.
Boomer describes Stroudwater as fundamentally different from other consulting groups. For him, the value lies not only in the technical guidance but in the alignment of mission and mindset.
“Stroudwater truly wants Critical Access Hospitals to succeed. It is not just about the numbers. It is about believing that rural hospitals can grow, thrive, and meet the needs of their communities. Their abundance philosophy matched exactly what I knew we needed to do.”
— Rolland “Boomer” Bojo, CEO, UHS Delaware Valley Hospital
Conclusion
The transformation of UHS Delaware Valley Hospital happened fast. Between 2022 and 2024, the hospital moved from a stagnant baseline to one of the strongest financial and operational positions in its history. This was not the result of a windfall or cost-cutting. It was the direct result of strategic growth, targeted investment, community-centered expansion, and a leadership philosophy grounded in abundance.
With Stroudwater as a partner, UHS Delaware Valley Hospital now has a sustainable financial trajectory, expanded access across its region, and the confidence to move forward with its 85-million-dollar Medical Neighborhood expansion.
To learn more about Stroudwater’s approach to performance improvement, connect with our team.
