INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — (March 23, 2022) The Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) has named Brad Smith its board chairman for 2022. Smith has served as the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Rush Memorial Hospital (RMH) since Aug. 2004.
“Brad is a proven leader, and I am honored to work alongside him as we work together to improve Indiana's health outcomes after the challenges of the global pandemic," said Brian Tabor, IHA president.
As chairman, Smith will oversee board meetings and play an active role in identifying and establishing priorities and future goals for the association.
“It is an honor and privilege to be elected to serve as the IHA Board Chairman in 2022," Smith said. “I look forward to championing efforts to strengthen Indiana's workforce shortage, address the important, but often overlooked mental health toll that the pandemic has taken on many of us, shift our health care system to incentivize quality and value, and improve our poor health metrics which translate into higher costs for all," said Smith.
Under Smith's leadership, RMH opened a multi-million-dollar outpatient health care facility that houses a multi-provider specialty clinic including but not limited to a cancer center, an orthopedic and rheumatology clinic, and a conference center available for community use. In addition, RMH successfully partnered with an air ambulance provider to establish and base their operations out of RMH which provides air transport services to the entire region. Along with these expanded services, RMH established its first walk-in treatment facility, first pediatric office, and pain management clinic. In addition, RMH expanded its primary care services, which now include mental health services. Over the last few years, RMH has remodeled and expanded its imaging department with all new state-of-the-art equipment, upgraded its medical-surgical unit, expanded its surgical services, and is currently establishing a two-bed intensive care unit. In addition, the Rush Memorial Hospital Foundation was created.
RMH received the Most Wired award for nine consecutive years, an award that demonstrates the optimal use of information technology by healthcare provider organizations. RMH was the second hospital in Indiana to receive the R.I.S.E. award for a smoke-free and tobacco-free campus. Smith was selected as the Rush County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 2008 and received the Leadership Award from the Indiana Rural Health Association in 2007.
Smith has been very involved in many councils and boards within the Indiana Hospital Association and Indiana Rural Health Association. In addition, he served on the American Hospital Association Governance Council for Small and Rural Hospitals for Region 5 for three years. Smith has played an active role in several of his local community organizations including Rush County Economic Development, the Boys & Girls Club, and SPARC (Suicide Prevention Across Rush County).
Prior to his role as president and CEO of RMH, Smith served as the hospital's chief financial officer for six years. He also served as CFO for Community Mental Health Center and held positions as an accountant and controller at Dunn Center. Smith attended Ball State University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Finance.
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