Memorial Hospital of Converse County Hires New CEO

July 18, 2011 - PRLog -- After conducting a nationwide executive search led by healthcare leadership solutions firm B. E. Smith, Memorial Hospital of Converse County (MHCC) in Douglas, Wyo., has hired Ryan Smith to fill the role of CEO. A seasoned healthcare executive with more than 17 years of executive leadership experience, Smith will assume his new duties at MHCC on December 1, 2011.
“Ryan brings the ability to partner with physicians and key stakeholders to achieve excellent outcomes and quality improvement, as well as experience leading major renovation projects. His skills are a perfect match for our needs,” said Robert Kayser, a member of the MHCC board of trustees.
Prior to joining MHCC, Smith served as CEO of Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna, Alaska, the primary healthcare facility for the central area of Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. He has held executive leadership positions in several healthcare organizations, including IASIS Healthcare in Salt Lake City, Utah; several facilities owned by LifePoint Hospitals, Inc., in Brentwood, Tenn.; and two hospitals owned by Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) in Nashville, Tenn. Smith completed an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in accounting at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
As CEO, Smith will lead MHCC’s ongoing $2 million construction project to upgrade the hospital’s radiology and laboratory departments. MHCC will be the first hospital in Wyoming to implement three facets of eCare technology that expand patients’ access to quality care in rural areas, including ePharmacy, eEmergency and eICU.
“MHCC was seeking a healthcare executive with a successful track record in cultural transformation, inspirational leadership, new program development and quality performance improvement, as well as proven physician recruiting and relationship-building skills,” according to Kathy Hall, vice president of executive search for B. E. Smith, the leadership solutions firm that conducted the nationwide CEO search for MHCC. “During his career, Ryan has helped hospitals improve quality scores and satisfaction scores across the board. His leadership will ensure a smooth transition of MHCC's quality journey and an even higher level of accomplishment at MHCC.”
About Memorial Hospital of Converse County:
Memorial Hospital of Converse County (MHCC) is a not-for-profit, Medicare-certified, critical access hospital located near downtown Douglas, Wyo. MHCC offers a comprehensive array of primary care services to Converse County. The hospital provides general surgery as well as specialty practices, including orthopedic surgery and obstetric and gynecological surgical care. Founded in 1942, MHCC is guided by its mission statement: “to deliver excellent care with compassion.” For more information, visit http://www.conversehospital.com.
About B. E. Smith:  
Founded in 1978, B. E. Smith is a full-service leadership solutions firm for healthcare providers. B. E. Smith’s comprehensive suite of services includes Interim Healthcare Leadership, Permanent Executive Placements and Consulting Solutions. The company is comprised of veteran healthcare leaders who partner with each client to create solutions that uniquely fit their needs. B. E. Smith, the No. 1 ranked executive search firm by Modern Healthcare, maintains one of the largest databases of skilled healthcare leadership and interim executive candidates in the industry and recently placed more than 600 total leaders into healthcare organizations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.BESmith.com or call 877-802-4593.

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A leading provider of Healthcare Interim Leadership, Permanent Executive Placements and Consulting. B. E. Smith recently placed over 600 leaders into healthcare organizations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.besmith.com or call 877.802.4593.