Fulton Medical Center operator Noble Health Corporation has brought in a new face to oversee the hospital.
David-Paul Cavazos began his first full week as Noble Health's new vice president of operations and regional chief executive officer on June 1. In this role, Cavazos will head FMC, as well as other facilities if acquired by Noble Health.
Cavazos has worked in the health care field since 1997. His first job was at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he worked as a unit secretary before pursuing radiography.
In 2012, Cavazos began working at Allen County Regional Hospital.
"That was my first foray into rural health care," Cavazos said.
Later, he was chief operating officer for Southeast Kansas Mental Health then CEO at Republic County Hospital in Belleville, Kansas.
"In 2012, moving out to southeast Kansas and Allen County to be in a rural market, it was a whole new world," Cavazos said. "It was a big eye-opening experience, and I just loved it."
Cavazos found he enjoyed working in rural health care.
"In large hospitals, you have tiers and tiers of layers of management - manager, director, vice presidents upon multiple vice presidents - you have all these different levels of people," he said. "There's a really big distance between the boots-on-the-ground clinical workers and the people at the top. And in rural health care, that's all gone."
Noble Health is interested in expanding and building a network of hospitals in the area.
"Noble Health is a bigger company than just Fulton," executive board chairman Don Peterson said, outlining a vision of cooperation and collaboration with other area hospitals.
Earlier this month, Noble Health signed a letter of intent with SSM Health to explore a possible transfer of ownership of St. Mary's Hospital - Audrain in Mexico.
If discussions progress as anticipated, Noble Health could take ownership of the Mexico facility by the end of the year.
"I'll oversee all of the hospitals for Noble Health, but Fulton I have a particular interest in because it's our first hospital and you really want to make sure things go right here," Cavazos said.
Noble Health took over management of FMC in December. At the time, Donald Buchanan was named CEO. Buchanan has since retired.
"It seems like Fulton has changed hands a lot in the last number of years, and yet it has such great bones," Cavazos said. "It's a great structure, it has great employees, and the community has a real strong heart for it."
Cavazos hopes to have a positive impact at FMC.
"I'd like to see it raised up," he said. "I think it can play so much bigger of a role in local health care at the community and at the county level."