Southeast Missouri Hospital Executives Earn Fellow Status

Three Southeast Missouri Hospital executives, James W. Wente, president and chief executive officer; Jerry L. Sanders, financial analyst; and Ed Cooper, controller, have earned Fellow status in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the nation’s leading professional society for healthcare leaders.

“Because healthcare management ultimately affects the people in our communities, it is critically important to have a standard of excellence promoted by a professional organization,” said Thomas Dolan, PhD, FACHE, CAE, president and chief executive officer of ACHE. “By becoming an ACHE Fellow and simultaneously earning board certification from ACHE, healthcare leaders can show that they are committed to providing high quality service to their patients and community.”

Fellow status represents achievement of the highest standard of professional development. In fact, only 7,500 healthcare executives hold this distinction. To obtain Fellow status, candidates must fulfill multiple requirements, including passing a comprehensive examination, meeting academic and experiential criteria, earning continuing education credits and demonstrating professional/community involvement. Fellows are also committed to ongoing professional development and undergo recertification every three years.