Owen Bailey, administrator of University of South Alabama Children’s & Women’s Hospital, will take the newly created role of chief operating officer of Mobile-based USA Health.
Bailey will be responsible for the management, operation and oversight of USA Health. In addition to Children’s and Women’s, USA Health includes the Mitchell Cancer Institute, USA Medical Center, USA Physicians Group and the College of Medicine.
With more than 3, 700 employees, USA Health’s annual economic impact is $560 million.
USA Health Vice President Stan Hammack praised Bailey’s leadership skills and experience in health care when the move was announced last month. “His combination of experience and leadership is appreciated, and we are pleased he has taken on this new position. He will work closely with our administrative teams and advocate on state and national health care policy matters that directly affect our patients.”
For the immediate future, Bailey will continue to lead USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital, where he has been administrator since 2011. A key achievement was the 2013 opening of a new children’s tower, which doubled the size of the hospital and expanded its pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, which are unique in the region. Prior to joining USA, he led Fairhope’s Thomas Hospital as president and chief executive officer from 1992-2006 before joining Infirmary Health System as an executive vice president from 2006-2011.
Text by Dave Helms
