Three ScionHealth Community Hospital CEOs Named to Becker’s 2024 ‘Community Hospital CEOs to Know’ Listing

The three were among 160 community hospital CEOs nationwide included in the annual listing.

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (June 26, 2024) – Bill Little, CEO of Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center (CPRMC), Melody Trimble, CEO of St. Francis Emory Healthcare, and John Whiteside, CEO of SageWest Health Care, were each recognized on June 15 by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of its “Community Hospital CEOs to Know” for 2024. This list honors CEOs of community hospitals for their efforts in providing coordinated and affordable care, encompassing acute care, primary care, rehabilitation, public health services, and more.

Nationwide, 160 CEOs were featured in the listing. Little, Trimble, and Whiteside were also included in Becker’s 2023 listing of “Community Hospital CEOs to Know.”

Per Becker’s, “These leaders are honored for their dedication to improving community health, shaping workforce culture, planning for the future, expanding hospital services, and maintaining financial stability. Becker's Healthcare is thrilled to feature the accomplishments of these leaders, who are critical to the successes of their respective organizations.”

In its brief CEO summaries as part of the listing, the publication noted that Little leads more than 700 Carolina Pine’s associates and medical staff for the 116-bed, acute-care facility and its employed multi-specialty provider practices. It mentioned the “A” safety grade from Leapfrog as one of the awards the hospital has won during Little’s tenure as CEO at the Hartsville, South Carolina facility.

The Becker’s listing pointed out that Trimble leads a 73-year-old community hospital and health system in Columbus, Georgia consisting of two campuses: a 290-bed acute care hospital and the 85-bed Bradley Center behavioral health hospital. It credited her for overseeing the hospital’s partnership with Emory Healthcare and leading St. Francis’ initiatives in clinical quality and safety, growth and sustainability, recruitment and retention, and compliance.

The listing’s summary of CEO Whiteside noted his leadership of two remote, acute-care campuses ‒ one in Lander, Wyoming, and one in Riverton, Wyoming ‒ and their combined total of 172 beds. It credited Whiteside for having “successfully recruited and retained providers and caregivers while also improving the standing and services of the hospital system” during his short tenure as CEO.

“Congratulations to each of these outstanding, ScionHealth community hospital CEOs for making this prestigious Becker’s Hospital Review listing in each of the past two years,” said Brian Walton, President of ScionHealth’s Community Hospital Division. “Under the leadership of these CEOs, their hospitals continue to provide positive patient outcomes and experiences while continuing to make strides in so many facets essential to community hospitals, from tailoring services to meet the community’s needs to finding innovative ways to expand their pipelines of future healthcare professionals.”

The Becker's Hospital Review editorial team accepted nominations to compile this list. The full list features individual profiles of all CEOs and can be read here.

About Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center

As part of the ScionHealth network of hospitals, Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center (CPRMC) provides high-quality healthcare services to the people of several counties in northeastern South Carolina. Patients have come to rely on our experienced, skilled staff and physicians to provide them with the highest level of care and compassion. Through the facilities on our campus, including a 116-bed acute care hospital and an adjoining medical office building, we provide comprehensive services with two things in mind: the care and comfort of our patients. Learn more about CPRMC at www.cprmc.com. 

About St. Francis - Emory Healthcare

Since opening our doors in 1950, the caregivers at St. Francis - Emory Healthcare have been committed each day to providing the highest quality care in West Georgia and East Alabama. With 376 beds on two campuses, more than 2,500 associates, and 300 physicians, we offer a full range of inpatient, outpatient, and emergency room services, including the only open-heart surgery program in Columbus and the Chattahoochee Valley. Learn more about St. Francis - Emory Healthcare at mystfrancis.com.

About SageWest

At SageWest Health Care, we are committed to providing our patients with the highest quality, family-friendly care available. SageWest Health Care is located in Fremont County, encompassing two hospitals in Riverton and Lander, which are both fully accredited by the Joint Commission. We offer a wide range of health care services, including inpatient medical services, emergency room services, intensive care, surgical services including preventative colonoscopy screenings, therapy services, imaging services including 3D mammography, laboratory diagnostic services, primary care, infusion services, and women’s health. Visit SageWestHealthCare.com to learn more.