Escambia County Healthcare Authority (ECHCA) Names Rick Owens, D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital Administrator and Stephen Fischer, CFO for the ECHCA Health System.

Escambia County (AL) - Escambia County Healthcare Authority (ECHCA) Names Rick Owens, D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital Administrator and Stephen Fischer, CFO for the ECHCA Health System.

Mr. Rick Owens has been promoted to Administrator of D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital (DWMMH). Mr. Owens is well qualified for his new position from both an educational and work experience perspective. Mr. Owens holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of West Florida and a Master of Business Administration from Mississippi State University.

Mr. Owens has approximately twenty-eight (28) years of healthcare related experience with multiple health systems. Prior to joining DWMMH as the Business Office Director in 2004, Mr. Owens served as the Business Office Director for Atmore Community Hospital (ACH), as the Assistant Vice President of Finance for South Central Regional Medical Center, and as Business Office Director for Valley Springs Community Hospital.

As the Business Office Director, Mr. Owens played a key role in re-establishing the hospital's business office after DWMMH's disaffiliation from Baptist Healthcare in 2005. Since joining D.W. McMillan, Mr. Owens has continued to assume additional responsibilities within the organization; Director of Medical Records in 2005, Director of Finance in 2007 and Chief Financial Officer in 2008.

With Mr. Owen's transition into the role of DWMMH Administrator, there was a need for a Chief Financial Officer for the ECHCA Health System. Mr. Stephen Fischer has been named as the Interim Chief Financial Officer for the ECHCA Health System. Mr. Fischer will provide his services to our health system through 2019 to support the transition of ACH from the Infirmary Health System, the implementation of the Cerner Information Technology project at both hospitals, and the implementation of system wide financial systems and financial processes.

Mr. Fischer has approximately thirty (30) years of experience in both healthcare finance and healthcare administration holding multiple positions at several hospitals and healthcare systems in Kentucky and Indiana. His previous positions have included Budget/Reimbursement Director, Finance Manager, Director of Finance, Associate VP of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Fischer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Ball State University and a Master of Health Sciences from Webster University.



Authority officials also stated that there are plans to post for a permanent CFO position for the ECHCA Health System in the late summer or fall of this year with a plan of providing an overlap period with Mr. Fischer.