Jeff Barber, President and CEO
Roles and Responsibilities
As president and CEO of Owensboro Health, Jeff Barber works with the Board of Directors and other members of the executive team to provide leadership and vision for the organization. Dr. Barber stays abreast of developments and trends, both national and local, to make sure Owensboro Health is ready to meet current and future healthcare needs.
Leadership Style
Dr. Barber is known for his calm, reasoned approach to decision making and for his warm and engaging personality. His strong leadership is a key reason why Owensboro Health is successfully meeting the challenges of today’s healthcare industry. Whether transitioning to a new EMR or building a brand new hospital, employees and physicians alike have learned to count on Dr. Barber’s steady hand.
Vision
Dr. Barber believes a healthcare system should not only treat illnesses, but
work to prevent them in the first place. He emphasizes wellness as a key to reducing healthcare costs and supports this position by advocating smoke-free facilities (including Owensboro Health). Dr. Barber also sees the new hospital, opening in 2013, as a cornerstone for building a healthier community in the future.
Profile
Most Recent Achievements
Dr. Barber is a very successful healthcare executive and experienced change agent, with turnaround skills in academic hospital and healthcare systems. His strengths include successful, proven leadership in the development and operations of integrated delivery networks, team building, academic medical centers and academic training programs, faith-based initiatives, faculty group practices and the full continuum of healthcare training and practice. He also is very effective in the management of large-scale capital projects.
He has held numerous professional and civic positions throughout his career. Presently, he serves as a director on several boards: the Kentucky Hospital Association, Kentucky Wesleyan College, the Solutions Group, the Healthcare Foundations Group, Owensboro Cancer Research Program and Kentucky BioProcessing. He previously served as a director for the Owensboro Community and Technical College Foundation, RiverPark Center and Go Economic Development boards.
Dr. Barber and his wife Jackie have three children and three grandchildren.
Education
Doctor Public Health (Dr.PH), 1991, University of Texas, School of Public Health, Houston, TX
Master of Science in Management and Systems (MSMS), 2003, New York University, New York, NY
Master Business Administration (MBA), Management 1980, University of Houston/Clear Lake, TX
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Industrial Psychology 1970, University of Houston, Houston, TX
Fellow (FACHE), the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), Recertified 2008
Career in Healthcare Administration
| TITLE |
LOCATION |
DATE |
| President/Chief Executive Officer |
Owensboro Health |
2004-present |
| President/Chief Executive Officer |
North Mississippi Health Services |
1995-2003 |
| Chief Administrative Officer |
Franciscan Missionaries of our Lady Health System, Inc. |
1992-1995 |
| Executive Director/CEO |
El Paso County Hospital District |
1988-1992 |
| Chief Operating Officer |
The Hermann Trust, Texas Medical Center |
1982-1988 |
| AHS Interim CEO |
|
1987-1988 |
| AHS Chief Operating Officer |
|
1985-1986 |
| HH Interim Operating Officer |
|
1982-1984 |
| Director of Human Resources |
St. Joseph Hospital |
1979-1982 |
|
|
|
Professional Associations
- Kentucky Hospital Association, Solutions Group
- Health Careers Foundation, St. Louis, MO, Chairman, Board of Directors
- Owensboro Economic Development Council, Board of Directors
- Owensboro Community and Technical College Foundation Board
- Institute of Healthcare Executives & Suppliers, Board of Directors
- Mississippi Economic Growth Alliance Chairman, Board of Directors
- Tupelo Municipal School District Past Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees
- Community Development Foundation, Tupelo, MS Past Chairman, Board of Directors
- American College of Healthcare Executives, Regent Kentucky, Past Regent Mississippi
- Texas Hospital Association, Past Executive Committee Member
- Mississippi Hospital Association, Chairman-elect, Chairman, Northern District Council
- American Hospital Association, Member, Regional Advisory Council
- March of Dimes, Mississippi, Citizen of the Year - 2001
- Project Hope, a Philanthropic Organization supporting Cancer, Diabetes and Heart Disease Patients
- National Healthcare Coalition, Member 1993 – present
- Adjunct Faculty Positions: University of Houston Clear Lake School of Business Administration, Houston, TX; University of Mississippi, Pharmacy Management, Oxford, MS; University of Tennessee School of Medicine, Memphis, TN; Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, TX.
Read Dr. Barber's Blog
A veteran administrator in the healthcare industry, Dr. Barber shares his insight into current trends and advocates for a healthier lifestyle in his weekly blog. Read his thoughts.
