ATLANTA - Fairview Park Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer Donald R. Avery, FACHE, was named chair-elect of the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA). He returns to the Board after serving two two-year terms in 2015, and will succeed current chair Kevin Bierschenk, CEO of Union General Hospital in Blairsville. Avery will lead the Board in developing strategies for GHA hospital members, advocating for the highest quality care for patients, and supporting adequate reimbursement for hospitals.
"Don Avery's exceptional experience at Fairview Park Hospital, as well as his previous executive experience at many other health care facilities has greatly enhanced health care throughout the state of Georgia," said GHA President and CEO Earl Rogers. "We are very pleased with his return to our Board and look forward to his leadership."
Avery has served as president and CEO of Fairview Park Hospital since 2008 and is responsible for the management and operations of the 190-bed facility. During his tenure, the hospital has earned numerous credentials and accreditations for safety and quality outcomes and has successfully recruited new physicians to the community to ensure better access to care. Prior to serving in this role, Avery held CEO positions at two Columbus hospitals and was the vice president of operations at South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta. He has been with HCA Healthcare since 2003.
After graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1978, Avery was stationed at Tyndall Air Force base for five years before attending the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida and earning master's degrees in business administration and health sciences. He is very active in the community, serving on and chairing multiple local boards. He is involved with the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) as a past elected member of its Board of Governors and Council of Regents. He is a past president and board member of the Georgia ACHE and a board member of the Georgia Medical Care Foundation (Aliant Health). He also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska as an instructor in the Executive Master of Business administration (EMBA) program.