Riverwood Healthcare Center is proud to introduce two experienced managers—Cynthia Bennett as clinical manager and Shawn McCusker as pharmacy manager
As clinical manager, Cynthia Bennett oversees Riverwood outpatient services and the Specialty and Aitkin clinics. She focuses on clinical operations and helps facilitate changes required by the Affordable Care Act.
Previously, Bennett worked as the Public Health supervisor for Aitkin County for the past 14 years. With 19 years of experience as a nurse, she has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Nursing from the college of St. Scholastica, and a certification in Public Health Nursing, Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery.
“I have been very impressed with the commitment to patient care that every employee at Riverwood exhibits,” Bennett says. “It is nice to see that the dedication to quality patient care is authentic. Also, I am really excited to be right in the middle of health care reform as it occurs in a clinic setting. I was drawn to Riverwood because of its progressive approach to the changes that will be happening in the future with health care delivery and their willingness to engage in continuous quality improvement. That, in itself, says a lot about an organization.”
Cynthia Bennett lives with husband Steven and they have a blended family of five children and 11 grandchildren. Their household includes several pets, including a dog, a cat and a white dove named Lilly. They enjoy visits to their cabin just off the Appalachian Trail in West Virginia, hiking and relaxing in the peaceful setting and driving the Blue Ridge Parkway.
After working in Riverwood’s hospital pharmacy since 1999, at first on a part-time basis and then full-time in 2011, Shawn McCusker was promoted to pharmacy manager in January. He oversees a staff of 15, including Riverwood’s Garrison Pharmacy and the hospital’s pharmacy. A key responsibility is to make sure that patients know and understand their prescribed medications.
With a passion for patient care, McCusker has 25 years of experience as a pharmacist. His previous experience includes working as a patient-care pharmacist for Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd, and Rutland Regional Medical Center in Rutland, Vermont.
“Since I first started here at Riverwood 15 years ago, I have been proud to be a part of an organization dedicated and committed to excellence in the care of the people we serve,” McCusker says. “Our motto ‘Together we will’ is not just a slogan, it is the way we do things here daily at Riverwood Healthcare Center.”
McCusker lives in the Aitkin area with his wife, Beth. He grew up in Fort Dodge, Iowa, with his brother, Dr. Bradley McCusker, a podiatrist at Riverwood and Cuyuna Regional Medical Center. One of his passions that keeps him fit is bicycling.