After more than 31 years of dedicated service to Methodist Hospital, Bruce
Begley, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), has announced his retirement. A
reception honoring Begley will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Friday,
April 1 in the Board Room located on the fifth floor of Methodist Hospital.
Community members are invited to attend.
Begley met with the Board of Directors in February 2014 to announce his
plan to retire and to allow for adequate time to hire a replacement CEO.
A replacement CEO has been identified and will begin their duties in April.
Begley joined Methodist Hospital on October 1, 1984 as the Assistant Executive
Director and Controller. After a unanimous decision, the Board of Directors
named Begley CEO after the retirement of former CEO Charles R. Chapman.
Begley assumed duties of CEO on January 1, 1993.
A native of Hazard, Kentucky, Begley came to Henderson from Nashville,
Tennessee, where he had been employed by National Health Care, Inc., an
Alabama based hospital corporation, as a Regional Finance and Administrative
Director. From 1980 to 1983, he served as Controller for Jesse Holman
Jones Hospital in Springfield, Tennessee. He had also served as Budget
Analyst for Hospital Affiliates in Nashville and as a Financial Management
Specialist for Humana’s McFarland Hospital in Lebanon, Tennessee.
During his tenure, Begley has led Methodist Hospital through the continually
changing healthcare environment and through several major hospital expansions
with the hospital as well as health care services. Some highlights of
his achievements during his time at Methodist Hospital include:
- The creation of the first Home Health Agency
- Development of the Community Care Network, Methodist Hospital’s first
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
- Purchase of Valley View Medical Center in Morganfield, Kentucky, which
is now known as Methodist Hospital Union County
- Creation of the Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Program
- Development of Home Medical Equipment
- Conversion of Methodist Hospital Union County to a critical care access hospital
- Addition of a full-time Neonatologist
- National accreditation of the Sleep Lab by the American Sleep Disorders
Association
- Expansion of the North Tower, which includes new in- and out-patient surgical
services, operating rooms and Women’s Pavilion
- Expansion of the South Tower, which includes new patient care areas including
Intensive Care Unit, Telemetry Unit and Surgical Unit
- Opening of the first Catheterization Laboratory
- Completion of a 1,700 square foot addition to the 16-bed Extended Care
Facility for long-term care at Methodist Hospital Union County
- Category I accreditation for Continuing Medical Education
- Development of affiliations with Deaconess Health System, Evansville Surgical
Associates, Kosair Children’s Hospital, Neonatal Specialists ,Tri-State
Orthopaedics and University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center
- Creation of Prevention and Wellness Services
- Opening of the first USA CareStore
- Magnet® recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center
In addition, Begley received numerous awards during his time at Methodist
Hospital. These awards include the Gordan B. Tittle Award for outstanding
volunteer service from the United Way and the Distinguished Service Award
and the Community Service Award from the Kentucky Hospital Association
and more. Begley served as Chairman of the Board for the Kentucky Hospital
Association and has been involved in various community activities and agencies.
“Bruce’s vast knowledge of the healthcare industry coupled
with his understanding of hospital finances has definitely benefited Methodist
Hospital,” said Garland Certain, Methodist Hospital Chairman of
the Board. “A great example of this understanding is his vision
of where healthcare is going in this country. He has often stated that
in the future providers will be serving more preventive care to healthier
patients rather than how we’ve treated those in the past. Bruce
was very instrumental in creating the newly formed USA CareStore. He is
eager to continue his involvement in the community. The Board of Trustees
appreciates Bruce’s many contributions to the hospital and we wish
him, Barbara (his wife) and his family the very best.”
An announcement on Begley’s replacement will be released in April.
For questions regarding this press release, please contact Brandi L. Schwartz
at 270-831-7836 or
bschwartz@methodisthospital.net.