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42 WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP POPULATION HEALTH 'From almost no patients to a full hospital': How this physician investor revitalized a rural Oklahoma hospital By Mackenzie Bean T he healthcare investment firm Rural Wellness Fairfax has invested $500,000 in facility and technology upgrades at Fairfax (Okla.) Community Hospital since buying the rural hospital for $2.1 million in March 2020. Elizabeth Pusey, MD, owner of Rural Well- ness Fairfax, also won a legal battle to recover $2.4 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funds for the hospital. HHS sent the funds to the hospital's bank- ruptcy trustee even though Dr. Pusey's firm had owned and operated Fairfax Community Hospital for the majority of the time the funds were designated for. e hospital, previously owned by affiliates of EmpowerHMS, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2019. e CARES Act funding and Rural Wellness Fairfax's capital investments will support more upgrades at the hospital, including replacing an antiquated heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, adding six pa- tient rooms, and upgrading equipment like ventilators for long-term care patients. Last spring, the hospital partnered with the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa to offer 24/7 telehealth services. Fairfax Community Hospital and First Physicians Capital Group, the hospital's management group, also donated more than $60,000 to local schools to buy laptops, com- puters and personal protective equipment during the pandemic. "I've worked at the hospital for over 40 years, and we didn't have any equipment and re- sources when the hospital was in bankrupt- cy," James Graham, DO, Fairfax Community Hospital's medical director, said in a news re- lease shared with Becker's. "Under Dr. Pusey's leadership, we went from almost no patients to a full hospital. She has been a big morale builder for the hospital employees and a great benefit to the community of Fairfax." n North Carolina health system CEO receives state's highest civilian award By Erica Carbajal K athy Bailey, president and CEO of Morganton, N.C.- based Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge, re- ceived the Order of the Long Leaf Pine award — the state's highest civilian honor. The award recognizes North Carolina residents who have made significant contributions to their state and com- munities through "exemplary service and exceptional ac- complishments," according to a news release shared with Becker's Feb. 8. Michael Bridges, chair of the health system's board of direc- tors; Jon Mercer, COO of CHS Blue Ridge; and Tonia Ste- phenson, president and CEO of the Burke County Cham- ber of Commerce, presented the award to Ms. Bailey at a ceremony Feb. 3. Ms. Bailey has spent 42 years as a healthcare leader. She is the former president and CEO of The Outer Banks Hospital in Nags Head, N.C., where she led design, construction and operations until 2005. Prior to her role as CEO at Blue Ridge, she was the health system's chief operating officer. Ms. Bailey has served in numerous service-based roles, in- cluding as a board member of the American Red Cross' Ca- tawba Valley Chapter and the Burke Development Board. She has been named among the top female health system and hospital leaders by Becker's Hospital Review for the past three consecutive years. n Biden's pick to run CMS: 5 things to know about Chiquita Brooks-LaSure By Morgan Haefner C hiquita Brooks-LaSure is President Joe Biden's pick to lead CMS, according to Politico, which cit- ed four sources familiar with the decision. Here are five things to know about Ms. Brooks-LaSure: 1. As of March 4, her Senate confirmation hearing had yet to be set. If her nomination is confirmed by the Sen- ate, Ms. Brooks-LaSure will be the first Black woman to be CMS administrator. 2. She serves as managing director of consulting firm Manatt Health. In that role, she provides policy anal- ysis and advice to clients on regulatory and legislative changes to private insurance, Medicaid and Medicare. 3. During the Obama administration, Ms. Brooks-La- Sure was deputy director for policy at the CMS Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight. She also served as director of coverage policy within HHS. 4. When she was part of the Democratic staff for the U.S. House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee, she worked with House leaders to pass several health- care laws, including the Medicare Improvements for Pa- tients and Providers Act of 2008 and the ACA. 5. Ms. Brooks-LaSure began her career as a program examin- er and lead Medicaid analyst for the Office of Management and Budget. n