Brian Stephens has been the Door County Medical Center CEO since 2019, but recently completed his Rural Hospital CEO Certification Program through the National Rural Health Association. Inspired by DCMC Board Member Patti Vickman, who went through a similar program herself last year, Stephens completed the program to strengthen their leadership skills for success. Stephens says it was an excellent program for him to participate in as he connected with other rural hospital CEOs while taking a fresh look at his leadership style.
Stephens has guided DCMC through several challenges during his tenure, including how to keep a rural hospital sustainable through revenue and reimbursement changes. He admits he received a crash course in leadership early on in the pandemic.
According to the National Rural Health Association, rural hospitals are closing at an unprecedented rate, and one in three is identified as “at risk.”