'I am proud': DCH Health System CEO Bryan Kindred retiring later this year, successor chosen

Changes are coming to the leadership of DCH Health System.

After almost 40 years with the Tuscaloosa-based medical center, DCH Health System CEO Bryan Kindred will retire effective July 31.

The announcement of Kindred’s retirement, made Friday by DCH Health System, also said his successor already has been chosen.

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Katrina Keefer, the current CEO of Augusta University Health and executive vice president of health affairs at Augusta University, both in Augusta, Georgia, will bring her 20 years of healthcare leadership experience in Alabama and Georgia to DCH starting Aug. 1.

The announcement said Kindred, who has worked the last 37 years in various administrative positions within the system – the last 26 of which as CEO –will remain on staff in a consultant role to allow for a smooth transition.

“I am proud of what we have accomplished at DCH over almost four decades,” Kindred said in a news release. “We have grown by leaps and bounds, brought new and innovative care to our community and become the destination for healthcare needs in West Alabama.”

During his tenure with the DCH Health System, Kindred oversaw the opening and operation of the system’s first cancer center, spearheaded the build of the hospital’s medical tower for outpatient services and physician clinics, navigated the expansion of the critical care and emergency departments and secured an affiliation with the MD Anderson Cancer Center.

“As a board, we are immensely grateful to Bryan for his leadership and his accomplishments at our facilities,” said Jim Harrison, chairman of the DCH Health System board of directors. “DCH would not be where it is now without Bryan’s tenacity and unwavering dedication.”

His replacement is Keefer, a Georgia native raised in south Alabama, who previously worked 17 years in the UAB Health System as treasurer and director of financial operations. She then became senior vice president and chief financial officer of UAB’s Montgomery affiliate, Baptist Health, and then CEO at Augusta University Health in 2019.

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While at Augusta University Health, Keefer oversaw a $1 billion health system consisting of an academic medical center, a children’s hospital, long-term acute care and rehab hospitals as well as numerous outpatient clinics.

She now will oversee operations of DCH Health System, which includes DCH Regional Medical Center, Northport Medical Center and Fayette Medical Center, among other facilities.

“I will combine the skills and expertise I have honed during my career to drive change, continue to grow clinical services, enhance engagement and improve healthcare outcomes for the patients we serve in West Alabama,” Keefer said in the news release announcing her hire. “I look forward to working with the DCH team and building on what they have already accomplished.

“As a public hospital system, DCH has unique challenges, and it is imperative that we have support of our local government entities, officials and community leaders because that is critical to success. From my standpoint, collaborating with these leaders will be a top priority to understand the challenges we are facing today, as well as those that come in the future.”

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: DCH Health System CEO announces retirement, replacement named