Rick Shrader has been appointed chief financial officer of Southwest Health System, the management arm of Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez.
Shrader has been serving as interim CFO since October 2018 as part of a financial turnaround team from Community Hospital Corporation.
“Rick’s leadership over the past year as interim CFO has been instrumental in our very successful turn-around,” said SHS CEO Tony Sudduth. “He brings a depth of knowledge and experience that allowed him to immediately have an impact on the organization and will continue to do so as we progress forward.
Shrader’s team-effort approach advanced the financial stability of SHS and improved revenue cycle processes, Sudduth said. He recruited a new accounting director, and provided mentorship and expertise in his reports.
“Rick has been a core leader behind the financial turnaround,” agreed SHS board chair Tom Rice.
Shrader has over 26 years of health care financial management experience. He has primarily worked as a chief financial officer, including for nonprofit hospitals, and also owned a health care consulting company specializing in financial and operations management from 2009 to 2012.
Shrader holds a degrees in business administration and art history from the University of Louisiana at Monroe.