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New CEO Plans on Bringing Medical Education, Health Awareness to Community

Posted on: Friday, 28 October 2005, 15:01 CDT

By Chris Mahon, The Brownsville Herald, Texas

Oct. 28--Running a hospital isn't easy work.

The administrative staff oversees financial matters, doctors and nurses provide health care, often in life-savings situations, and there is a never-ending stream of patients coming through the door, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Despite managing all this on a daily basis, David Handley, the new chief executive officer at Valley Regional Medical Center, says his biggest shock since taking the job in June has been how much he loves Brownsville.

"Brownsville is a hidden jewel. The cost of living is affordable and you've got Mexico and the island (close by)," he said.

Handley came to the city from Houston, where he was chief operating officer at Spring Branch Medical Center.

Like Valley Regional, that hospital is part of the HCA Inc., the largest for-profit hospital company in the country.

The Chicago native has been with the company for 10 years. After completing his master's degree in health care administration at Tulane University, he went down a similar path as many doctors.

First he was a resident, then a fellow at a hospital in New Orleans, then slowly moved up the administrative ranks within HCA until taking over at Valley Regional.

The son of a neurosurgeon, going into the medical field seemed like the right thing to do, Handley says.

"Running a hospital is very personal for me since you're talking about people's lives and loved ones," he said.

Beyond that, he also has logistical goals to achieve. "I assess the current state of affairs and improve upon that," he said.

Handley envisions the hospital increasing education for its medical staff and bringing health awareness to the community.

"When people achieve their highest levels of certification, it improves the level of care to patients," he said.

In terms of community education, Handley said, "diabetes education is a huge need in this community. We want to supplement what we're currently providing."

Besides additional education, the 35-year-old Handley also hopes to recruit more specialists to Valley Regional.

"There is a dramatic need for urologists," he said.

"There's a shortage of pretty much everything in the Valley: nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists," he said.

But he is hopeful about the possibilities of recruiting medical specialists in the future.

"I really think in the next five years Brownsville will witness tremendous expansion and growth. As the city grows, it (will become) easier to attract specialists," Handley said.

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To see more of The Brownsville Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.brownsvilleherald.com.

Copyright (c) 2005, The Brownsville Herald, Texas

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Brownsville Herald

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