“Faith in Leadership”

Frank L. Beaman, CEO of Faith Community Health System in Jacksboro, Texas, credits the success of the local health system to the empowerment of his team to make the right decisions.

Twelve years might seem like a lifetime ago. Still, for a hospital facing inevitable closure, the turnaround and growth into a regional healthcare powerhouse serve as a beacon of hope for rural hospitals across the country when you have just a little faith in leadership.

Frank L. Beaman stepped into the role as CEO of Faith Community Hospital in 2010. At that time, the hospital was in an aging facility that was failing inspections, necessary repairs were costly, and threats of their license being pulled were all too real.

Fast-forward five years, Beaman and the hospital board of directors pulled off a feat for rural healthcare: opening a brand-new hospital campus that serves as the anchor of a now thriving healthcare system. Faith Community Health System (FCHS) now includes a hospital, an emergency medical service (EMS) fleet, obstetric services, a wellness center, four rural health clinics, and four nursing homes. Soon, the health system will also operate an expanded emergency room and outpatient facility in a nearby town.

“A rural community hospital needs to operate with the vision of larger healthcare systems,” Beaman explains. “In rural healthcare, you must be strategic in approaching business decisions and have an entrepreneurial attitude to survive.”

Beaman says the expansion to a health system was imperative to preserve the availability of services in the region.

Leading with the mindset of “tell me how we can do something, not why we cannot,” Beaman says his approach has guided him through a myriad of challenges. When working with the health system’s board of directors, Beaman maintains that transparency and communication is the foundation of trust.

“You cannot move in a unified direction without having a board that is 100 percent invested,” Beaman says. “This means doing your homework and meeting with board members to educate them on the issues. Everyone must be on the same page and understand the decisions that need to be made.”

“I was once told ‘If you are not moving forward, you are backing up,’” Beaman says. “The world is still moving. If you are standing still, you will be run over.”

The coronavirus pandemic created new stresses for all areas of the hospital. Between serving the community, keeping team members healthy, and managing the business aspect of the health system, Beaman says that communication remained the key to keeping morale high.

“The start of the global pandemic was a scary time. We didn’t know what was happening, nor could we predict what was around the corner,” recalls Kim Lee, chief financial officer, and former chief operations officer at FCHS. “Nothing is more powerful than constant communication during a period of uncertainty. Mr. Beaman constantly gave us updates and energized all of us to keep going throughout the pandemic.”

Lee explains that working with Beaman throughout his tenure at FCHS has been an enlightening experience. She says that Beaman has always given everyone in the health system the freedom to make a decision. More importantly, Lee says that he always supports the team.

“He has always provided leadership with the knowledge and creativity for us to accomplish system goals,” Lee says. “He is the innovator of our health system. In a challenging environment, diversification is exactly what we need to survive. You can’t have all your eggs in one basket.”

Beaman insists that if you are trying to build a team that trusts, you must be a consensus builder and engage with everyone at every level of the organization.

“Autocratic leaders that lead with an iron fist are missing an opportunity,” Beaman explains. “You may never realize the full potential of your team if you don’t give them the opportunity to be included in some of the decisions and, that they know the executive leadership has their backs.”

FCHS has not only been able to overcome the odds, but its success comes just as other hospitals in the region have either shuttered or cut essential services. FCHS has added patients from other communities with expanded capabilities and positions, providing the region with much-needed professional care and local convenience.

Beaman’s impeccable approach to leadership turned a small hospital facing inevitable closure into a thriving healthcare system that continues to defy the odds and provides faith for future generations to come.