Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock recently named Greg Crain as its new administrator, a step in line with several administrative changes at the state’s largest hospital system.
On April 1, Baptist Health also promoted Doug Weeks, who was the administrator at the Little Rock hospital, to the new position of senior vice president of hospital operations for Baptist Health, "a role that consolidates overall management of the system’s seven hospitals into a single organizational structure," according to a Baptist Health news release.
Baptist Health CEO Russ Harrington told Arkansas Business last week that the moves were to prepare the hospital system for the future.
"With health care reform looming and not knowing exactly where that’s going to be, you better be preparing your leaders to be able to respond to whatever comes along," Harrington said. "So that’s all a part of what we’re doing."
Troy Wells, who was Baptist’s vice president and CEO of Practice Plus and Arkansas Health Group, was promoted to the new position of senior vice president of administrative services "for oversight of a variety of system support services," according to the news release. Will Rusher will be the vice president of Practice Plus and CEO of Arkansas Health Group.
"It’s a change in culture that we started years ago because we have in the minds of our leaders that we’re not here to be responsible for one entity; we’re here for the whole system," Harrington said.
He said the management moves were to ensure "stability and continuity of leadership in our organization" and not because he was planning on retiring.
Harrington, who is 68 and has been at Baptist Health for 38 years, said he didn’t have plans for retirement.
Crain’s Vision
Crain, 42, was recognized as one of Arkansas Business’ "40 Under 40" in 2008. He started working for Baptist Health 16 years ago as an administrative resident for Harrington.
He worked his way up to vice president of patient services at Baptist Health Rehabilitation Institute and Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock.
Crain said his goal for the Little Rock hospital was to continue to "focus on patients and physicians." The Little Rock hospital is Baptist’s largest hospital, with more than 800 beds and total patient revenue of $1.4 billion in 2010.
Crain said he entered the health care field to serve others.
"I wanted to do that in a Christian organization, where my faith showed in my work," he said.
He said Baptist Health had a "legacy of service and excellence" and he wanted to "continue that history of success."