Conway Regional Names Jim Lambert President and CEO

CONWAY (May 1, 2008) – The Conway Regional Health System Board of Directors has announced that Jim Lambert of Conway has been named the new president and chief executive officer of Conway Regional Health System.
Lambert has served as Conway Regional’s chief operating officer for the past 10 years and as interim president/CEO of the health system for the past seven months. As president and CEO, he will oversee the overall strategic direction and future development of the health system.

“Mr. Lambert is a highly qualified individual with 26 years of healthcare administration experience,” said Dr. Margaret Beasley, chairman of the Conway Regional Board of Directors. “The board feels very confident that Mr. Lambert will continue to provide progressive leadership and enhance the strength of our system.”
During his time at Conway Regional, Lambert has been responsible for the day-to-day operations of the medical center and has overseen the operations of the health and fitness center, home health and affiliated clinics. He led the implementation of the medical center’s customer service strategic initiative – C.A.R.E. – which resulted in Conway Regional receiving the highest patient satisfaction scores in the medical center’s history.
More recently, Lambert encouraged Conway Regional to use proceeds from the 2007 Conway Regional Golf Classic to pay for 17 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for public and private schools in Conway. The 2008 Golf Tournament proceeds have been designated to continue this gift to schools throughout the county. He has been involved in strategic planning since he started his career at Conway Regional and has had a hand in the opening of the medical center’s outpatient surgery center, new women’s center, outpatient imaging center, rehabilitation hospital and is now focusing his efforts on the recently announced expansion of the women’s center and new OR project set to begin this summer.
Lambert’s previous experience includes vice president positions at Covenant Health in Knoxville, Tenn., and Community General Hospital of Thomasville, N.C., as well as director of materials management at Rogue Valley Medical Center in Medford, Oregon, and administrative assistant positions at Rogue Valley and Tuality Community Hospital in Hillsboro, Oregon .
Lamber received a bachelor of arts in biology from the University of California in San Diego and his master’s degree in health services administration in 1983 from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Lambert is board certified in healthcare management and has achieved the status of Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Lambert is a past member of the Kiwanis; a past member of the HAVEN (Help for Abuse Victims in Emergency Need) board of directors; and a current member of the board of the Faulkner County Red Cross. He and his wife, Jill, have three sons: Mike, 23, a recent graduate of the University of Central Arkansas living in Conway; Jeff, 19, a freshman at UCA; and 8-year-old Max.
“I want to thank the Conway Regional Board of Directors for their confidence in me. For the past 10 years, I have been honored to work alongside an exceptional group of physicians, employees and volunteers. It is a privilege to be a part of an energetic expansion of our services to meet the growing healthcare needs of the community. Conway is an excellent community in which to raise a family, and I look forward to my expanded role in the future development of Conway Regional.”
The Conway Regional Health System provides complete health care services to the growing communities of north Central Arkansas. Centered on a 146-bed acute care medical center, the health system includes a rehabilitation hospital, a fully digital outpatient imaging center, several primary care clinics and one of the largest hospital owned health and fitness centers in the nation. The not-for-profit medical center serves patients with comprehensive care including cardiovascular surgery, cancer diagnosis and treatment, women’s services, and rehabilitation therapy services.  In February, Conway Regional announced a $25 million expansion of the women’s center and new operating rooms. Patients are so pleased with their inpatient care that Conway Regional consistently ranks among the highest in the nation for patient satisfaction.