Bill Davis: helping those who can't help themselves

At Slidell (La.) Memorial Hospital, the community's well-being is the foundation of the organization's mission statement. And its top executive takes that commitment well beyond the hospital's walls.

“I'm very fortunate to have a hospital board that believes our mission is greater than just delivering quality clinical care,” said Bill Davis, CEO of the 170-bed hospital. He encourages staff members to get involved in community causes whenever they can, and tries to lead by example.

Among volunteer activities outside of the hospital, Davis, 53, holds leadership roles in various community organizations, such as serving as a board member and current treasurer/finance chairman at STARC, a not-for-profit organization that provides training and resources for individuals with developmental disabilities. “I'm heavily focused on people who can't help themselves,” said Davis, himself a parent of a child with special needs. Through Davis' efforts, STARC achieved its five-year fundraising goal in the first year of the campaign.

He also is leading efforts to improve community outreach, with a focus on wellness—ultimately working to keep more people out of his hospital. Last year, he helped launch Slidell Memorial's Community Outreach Center, offering programs staffed by physicians and nurses that promote healthy lifestyles, awareness of disease symptoms and the importance of early detection. This year, the center has offered 750 programs for nearly 20,000 attendees. “We have all these diseases of aging, and we have these highly trained clinicians who fix people when they're broken,” Davis said. “So why not put them out in the community to help people avoid these diseases in the first place?”

The health of the local economy is also a priority for Davis, who serves as an executive board member of the East Tammany Chamber of Commerce and on the local United Way leadership council.

Davis said he strives to live his life based on the maxim “to whom much is given, much is required,” believing that it's a tenet of leadership. “That's what is neat about healthcare, because at its core it's a noble endeavor. We have the opportunity to help people.”

Mike Mitka is a freelance writer based in River Forest, Ill. Reach him at [email protected]