Who: Martin Rash
New role: President and CEO of RCCH HealthCare Partners, based in Brentwood, Tenn.
Background: Rash replaces Michael Wiechart, who stepped down last month just two days after the 17-hospital chain agreed to buy two hospitals from St. Louis-based Ascension and four months after Wiechart spearheaded the $550 million merger between Capella Healthcare and RegionalCare Hospital Partners to create RCCH. Rash led RegionalCare before the merger.
Filling gaps: As a system that caters to regional markets, Rash said a key goal is making sure communities can access the services they need locally. “We have a growing aging population and shrinking number of physicians. We have to find ways to address that growing gap,” he said. “We are working with providers in our communities to find ways to incorporate other providers such as physician assistants or nurse practitioners to serve patients when appropriate.”
Safety first: Another priority is providing “high-quality, compassionate care,” Rash said. “We begin meetings with discussions about safety. We have safety huddles every day at every hospital to make sure that we are getting the team on the same page about meeting the needs of our patients and their families.”