Ms. Keefer is president and CEO of DCH Health System, a community-owned, nonprofit organization that includes DCH Regional Medical Center, Northport Medical Center, Fayette Medical Center and various outpatient clinics. Since assuming the role in August 2022, she has driven a turnaround built on listening to staff and community members and elevating the system’s stories of care, introducing “DAISY Awards” for nurses and “BEE Awards” recognizing non-nursing staff. She improved the system’s Leapfrog scores by 41% from 2021 to 2024, raising the grade from a “D” to a high “B,” and oversaw 10% year-over-year patient volume growth and improved financial stability. Her focus on employee engagement, recruitment and pay increases cut emergency department turnover by more than half and lowered the left-without-being-seen rate to below 3%. To support workforce development, DCH partners with the University of Alabama Capstone College of Nursing to promote its online RN-to-BSN degree to employees. Ms. Keefer previously served as CEO of Augusta (Ga.) University Health and earned the 2024 “Distinguished Service Award” from the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce.
