NEWS RELEASE – August 23, 2022
Betz Named Chief Operating Officer for Appalachian Regional Healthcare
August 23rd, 2022 –
Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) announced today that Paul Betz, FACHE, will join the multi-hospital system as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective Monday, August 29.
“Paul is a proven leader with a history of providing long-term strategic planning and strong operational leadership,” said ARH President and Chief Executive Officer Hollie Phillips. “We are very pleased to welcome him to our ARH Team and look forward to his contributions and collaborating with him as we continue our longstanding mission to improve health and well-being in the communities we serve in Eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia.”
Bringing more than 25 years of extensive management experience in healthcare to his new role at ARH, Betz most recently served in a dual role of Chief Operating Officer/Administrator for the Tuscaloosa, Alabama-based DCH Health System, an independent, community-owned three-hospital system providing a full range of services. During his time with DCH Health, Betz provided direction and leadership for all acute care services, system strategic planning, and LEAN Management System.
He also provided executive leadership and oversight as Chief Operating Officer/Senior Vice-President for Maury Regional Health in Columbia, Tennessee. He spent over a decade with Baptist Memorial Healthcare Corporation, where he served as Administrator and Chief Executive Officer at NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital (a subsidiary of BMHCC), Jonesboro, AR, and later served as Administrator of Process Improvement for the Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation’s Memphis, TN operation. He was also Administrator and Chief Executive Officer at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton, Covington, TN; Administrator and Chief Executive Officer at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale, Ripley, TN; Assistant Administrator at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City, Union City, TN.
Betz earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Lambuth University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
“I am proud to join the ARH team and look forward to helping fulfill its mission in eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia,” Betz said.
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Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) is a not-for-profit health system operating 14 hospitals in Barbourville, Hazard, Harlan, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, as well as multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores and retail pharmacies. ARH employs more than 6,500 people with an annual payroll and benefits of $330 million generated into our local economies. ARH also has a network of more than 600 active and courtesy medical staff members. ARH is the largest provider of care and the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virginia.