David Henry Joins Merit Health Central as New CEO
5/19/2021
Merit Health Central has named David C. Henry, FACHE, as the new chief executive officer, effective May 24, 2021.
“I am excited to work with and support the employees and medical staff as we continue the momentum of making Merit Health Central a great place for employees to work, physicians to practice and patients to receive compassionate, quality care in a safe and patient-focused environment,” said Henry.
Henry’s healthcare background is diverse, as he has success in physician recruiting, patient experience and operations of multiple clinical and non-clinical departments through his 13 years serving in executive and operations management positions.
In his most recent role as vice president of operations at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Henry has successfully completed construction projects and service expansions positioning the hospital for the future. He had oversight of the hospital’s accreditation as a Center of Excellence for robotic surgery, the Cancer Center’s rating by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the Top 100 Cancer Centers in the US, and the Cancer Center’s accreditation as an Outstanding Achievement Award Certified Center by the Commission on Cancer (the only one in Mississippi that achieved this accreditation twice). Hospital growth was supported by repurposing a seven-room OR suite for orthopedic services, adding a new interventional radiology biplane Room, 3D tomo mammography imaging, and upgrading CT imaging.
“David has the leadership, experience, passion for healthcare and energy that we feel are needed to continue to further enhance and grow the hospital,” said Barry Moss, CEO, Merit Health’s Jackson/Vicksburg market.
Henry earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, and his Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in health administration degrees from The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
He is very active in the community, serving as the 2020 chairman of the board for Goodwill Industries of Mississippi and as a board member for Leadership Greater Jackson and the American Cancer Society. He is also a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and an active member of Highlands Presbyterian Church.
“Our hospital and our community will benefit from David’s leadership skills, community focus and desire to provide our region with quality, compassionate healthcare,” said Clay Mansell, chairman of the hospital’s board of trustees.
Dr. Greg Oden, chief medical officer for Merit Health’s Jackson/Vicksburg market and the hospital’s interim CEO, agrees. “The medical staff look forward to working with David and appreciate his strong background in physician relations,” said Dr. Oden.
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