Two hospitals in the Birmingham-based Baptist Health System (BHS) — Baptist Medical Center (BMC) Shelby and BMC Montclair — have announced a new heart unit and a new president, respectively.
BMC Shelby can now provide open heart surgery.
The application was first heard as a contested case proceeding in which an administrative law judge concluded that it met criteria for a new open heart unit. When the case came before the State Health Planning and Development Agency’s Certificate of Need Review Board July 13, the decision was reversed.
“This decision is an important one for the communities served by Baptist Shelby,” said Beth O’Brien, president and CEO of BHS. ”It means more convenient access to needed heart services while underscoring the commitment of Baptist Health System to its healing ministries through its health care facilities across north and central Alabama.”
Chuck Colvert, Baptist Shelby president, said, “We are very pleased with [the] ruling that grants our facility approval to provide open heart surgery to the communities we serve. Our board, community leaders, physicians and employees saw a need for an open heart surgery program and through their efforts, we were able to bring this project to fruition.”
At BMC Montclair, Michael Cowling was named president effective Aug. 4.
Cowling, a 30-year health care management executive, served for the past six years as regional vice president of Medcath, Inc.
He also served as regional vice president for the operations of heart hospitals in a region that included Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. He is a certified public accountant and has a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond as well as a master’s in health care administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.
Other news
In other news, BHS officials named four new members to its senior leadership team.
Mark H. Bryan — senior vice president of operations.
John Boyle — vice president for managed care.
Malcolm McNeill — vice president for business development.
Ross Mitchell — vice president of marketing, planning and government relations.
(BHS)
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