Brian Shockney, president and chief executive officer of Memorial Hospital in Logansport, Ind., will lead the American Hospital Association's (AHA) Section for Small or Rural Hospitals in 2007. The 22-person governing council represents small or rural hospitals in the AHA's policy process and member services initiatives.

Shockney has served as president and CEO of Memorial Hospital since 1999 and has served in several leadership positions at the hospital since 1992. Memorial is a 104-bed rural hospital in a predominately agricultural area and admits about 3,000 patients each year. The hospital provides a wide array of services for the community including outpatient services, a skilled nursing facility, physician practices, dialysis, radiation oncology and surgical services.

Memorial has expanded to meet the community's needs by helping provide free pharmaceuticals through their Rx Assist Program, placing a pediatrician in a local elementary school with a high population of uninsured and underinsured students and working with the University of Notre Dame to improve and expand care for the growing Latino population.
Kathleen Hoeft, administrator and CEO, Ashley Medical Center in Ashley, N.D. is the 2007 chair-elect. Richard Slusky, CEO of Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center in Windsor, Vt. is immediate past chair.

The Section's governing council advises the AHA on federal policy issues. Elected members serve three-year terms. New members include: Arthur Blank, CEO, Mount Desert Island Hospital, Bar Harbor, Maine; Mark Doak, CEO, Davis Health System, Elkins W. Va.; Gerard Klein, president and CEO, Bucyrus Community Hospital, Bucyrus, Ohio; Blake W. Kretz, administrator and CEO, Graham Regional Medical Center, Graham, Texas; and James G. Parrish, CEO, Humboldt General Hospital, Winnemucca, Nev. Also, appointed for a three-year term is Rev. John Coursey, vice chair, Fort Washington Medical Center, Fort Washington, Md.

The new governing council members join the following current members: David Avery M.D., AAFP representative, Grand Central Family Medicine, Parkersburg, W.V.; H.J. (Jimmy) Blessitt, administrator, South Sunflower County Hospital, Indianola, Miss.; Trudy Chittick, CEO, Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital, Thermopolis, Wyo.; Charles Fahd, II, CEO, Massena Memorial Hospital, Massena, N.Y.; Edward Hannon, president and CEO, Clarion Healthcare System, Clarion, Penn.; Wayne Hellerstedt, NRHA representative and CEO, Helen Newberry Joy Hospital, Newberry, Mich.; Robert Houser, CEO, Blue Mountain Hospital District, John Day, Ore.; Robin Lake, CEO, Great Plains Regional Medical Center, Elk City, Okla.; Jim Mayo, administrator, Baptist Medical Center Nassau, Fernandina Beach, Fla.; Steven Millard, president, Idaho Hospital Association, Boise, Idaho; Susan Starling, president, Marcum and Wallace Memorial Hospital, Irvine, Ky.; Gale Walker, president and CEO, Avera St. Benedict Health center, Parkston, S.D. Ray Hino, CEO, Mendocino Coast District Hospital, Fort Bragg, Calif. was appointed this year to serve as the AHA board liaison to the section's governing council.
About AHA

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which includes more than 4,800 hospitals, health care systems, networks, and other providers of care, and 37,000 individuals. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA Web site at www.aha.org.


About the AHA's Section for Small or Rural Hospitals

The AHA's Section for Small or Rural Hospitals provides representation, advocacy and educational opportunities to help the nation's small or rural hospitals better serve the health needs of patients and communities

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