CEO, Roane General Hospital
Photo by Rick Lee.
By Arianna Whitehair
“Our goal is to be the benchmark of high quality, highly reliable, patient-centered care—to let the patient know we care,” says Doug Bentz, CEO of Roane General Hospital.
Doug Bentz, who has served as CEO of Roane General Hospital for over 21 years, prides himself on his ability to serve his small community in significant ways through the use of his leadership skills and drive for success.
His mother worked as a nurse for more than 40 years and inspired him to pursue a career in the field of health care.
“I wasn’t strong enough in the sciences to be a clinician, but I wanted to use my analytical and leadership skills, so hospital administration made sense,” he says.
Along with his mother, Bentz credits former Roane General Board Chair Dick Bowlby with helping him develop the necessary experience and wisdom needed to excel in his field.
Holding a bachelor’s degree in business finance and a Master of Business Administration from Morehead State University, as well as a Master of Health Care Administration from Ohio State University, it is safe to say that Bentz is always up for a challenge. Working at a small hospital in rural West Virginia is certainly not without its difficulties.
“The challenges range from improving the health status of a small, rural community with significant socioeconomic barriers to hiring and retaining the best professional staff to care for our patients,” says Bentz.
With a strong emphasis on bringing care closer to home, Roane General focuses on providing several specialists to serve its patients and the community in a way that is both efficient and accommodating.
“It doesn’t make sense to ask 25 patients to drive to Charleston to see a pulmonologist when one pulmonologist can drive to Spencer to see those 25 patients,” says Bentz.
By always looking for ways to improve the level of quality, patient-centered care at Roane General, Bentz put into fruition the hospital’s first renovation and expansion project, which was completed in fall of 2021. This project was a celebration of Roane General’s 50 years of first-rate service to its community and prioritized the patient experience by creating a one-stop shop that brings all the necessary services to them.
“This renovation project was an opportunity to redefine how our hospital provided patient care services,” says Bentz.
The original hospital footprint was designed to be an inpatient hospital, but with 98% of patient encounters today being outpatient, Roane General had to change to accommodate its community’s evolving needs.
“We wanted to focus on the health and well-being of our community and not just health care services,” says Bentz.
By prioritizing private and personalized care, Roane General shows the community and other hospitals around the state how good health care and compassionate service should look.
“As for what it means, it will be my legacy project at the hospital. I’ve been so vested in the hospital for over 21 years, and it is a wonderful feeling being part of such a special project,” Bentz says.
With Bentz’s many impressive achievements come an ingrained love of competition and innate drive to succeed.
“I am an athlete at heart,” he says. “I grew up playing competitive sports and ended up playing Division 1 basketball.”
He uses the drive and work ethic he gained as an athlete to push himself to set and achieve goals many would think unattainable.
Deeply passionate about serving his community, Bentz currently serves on the board for Roane County Emergency Squad and American Red Cross. He was the founding board member of the Greater Sissonville Development Council, former board member of the Roane County Economic Development Authority and former president of both the West Virginia Hospital Association and the Partners in Health Network. In 2004, Bentz was named the American College of Healthcare Executives Young Healthcare Executive of the Year, and in 2006 he was granted the Roane County Community Service Award as
well as the Morehead State Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2017, he won the West Virginia Rural Health Award.
Bentz, while proud of his personal achievements, credits the people of West Virginia for inspiring and motivating him to be the best version of himself.
“The people and culture of West Virginia makes our state special. Neighbors rely on neighbors and take care of each other,” Bentz says.
Roane General Hospital Renovation
Roane General Hospital is a nonprofit institution that has served Roane County—a rural area with a population of approximately 15,000—with top-rated, professional and personalized care since 1970.
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in spring of 2021, Roane General, the area’s largest employer, completed a renovation project that allowed it to serve its community at a capacity greater and more efficient than ever before.
This $29 million project covered 40,000 square feet and added a two-story health and wellness center. The top level of the center has 26 exam rooms, two waiting areas and eight nursing stations. The bottom level provides new spaces for physical therapy and fitness education, as well as a layout for cardiac and pulmonary rehab and a café that offers affordable and healthy food options. Through the renovation efforts, the emergency room was doubled in size and there are now 40% more available beds. Roane General is also continuing to expand upon and improve its pharmacy, infusion
department and walk-in clinic.
The new facilities also allow for a wellness program, Prescription for Your Health, where patients enter into a three-part contract with their primary care providers. It is free for all participants and consists of a medical plan, medical fitness plan and an educational plan with emphasis on nutrition.
The project was funded by U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and hospital contributions.
