Abbeville General Board announces ​retirement of CEO Ray Landry

John Boudreaux, Chairman of the Hospital Board of Abbeville General, has announced the retirement of Ray A. Landry, FACHE, as Chief Executive Officer of Abbeville General.
“As Chairman of the Hospital Board,” Boudreaux said, :I announce the retirement of Ray Landry as CEO of Abbeville General. Ray has moved the hospital forward both physically and financially and has a knack of matching employees that really fit their job roles. Much to his credit, the net worth of the facility has improved tremendously under his 28 years of faithful leadership – from $7 million to now over $50 million. The board is very appreciative for what he’s done and he will be dearly missed.”
Early on, the “Whooping Crane” was adopted as the hospital’s official mascot because of its life’s journey from near extinction to rebirth. Its message has since guided Abbeville General’s mission statement, “Access to Quality Care Close To Home”, in undertaking and carrying out projects handled through a “Get it Done” management philosophy.

Notable
Accomplishments

Under the leadership of Ray Landry over the last 28 years as CEO of Abbeville General, and with the support and great work of employees, physicians and the Board of the Hospital District, the most notable accomplishments, programs and services introduced during his tenure include:
• The construction of Primary Care Rural Health Clinics in three locations of the Hospital Service District with Primary Medical Home Joint Commission Certification. PCMH certification by Joint Commission was one of the first designated sites in the US.
• The recruitment of 31 full-time Physician Providers currently established and multiple part time providers in accordance with a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment
• Infusion Therapy including outpatient chemotherapy services
• Pain Management Services
• In-patient Hospital-Based Dialysis Services
• Urgent Care Services under the name of “Abbeville Urgent Care”
• Inpatient and Outpatient Psychiatric Services
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Medical Detoxification/Substance Abuse Program
• Sleep Center Program
• MRI 24/7 Services
• Introduction of Bariatric Surgery Service Line

Metrics Of Financial,
Performance Success

Financial and performance success, determined by metrics, has been achieved over the years in a Solo Community Hospital model - a scarce resource nationally. Most solo rural hospitals have closed, have been absorbed, or are on the brink of closure. Yet, Abbeville General has shown a consistent positive change in net position despite unpredictable government mandated changes in hospital service reimbursement and accelerating expense. Notable metrics include:
• Compounded Annual Growth Rate from 1993-2021 greater than 7%. Net assets on 1/1/1993 were $7,826,835 and net assets as of 7/31/2021 are $49,525,912.
• Long-term debt on 12/31/1993 was $12,010,000 and as of 7/31/2021 is $5,761,233.
• Successful district campaign of 1/2-cent sales tax in perpetuity dedicated to improve building and equipment.
• Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Scores at 98th percentile
• National Leapfrog Hospital Safety Scores of Grade A
• Ongoing Joint Commission Standards Compliance at “Commendation Level” in the area of standards associated with Hospital, Laboratory, and Ambulatory Services.
• Achievement of CHIME Digital Health Most Wired Acute Level 7 - Special Recognition.
• Vermilion Chamber “Business of the Year Award”.
• Through careful planning and application for federal grants totaling $6,307,293, Abbeville General Hospital has been able to undergo significant building infrastructure improvements resulting in an “age of plant”, from a financial perspective, of 14 years.
• A state-of-the-art equipment acquisition (totaling $8.7 Million in 2020 -2021) specifically improved clinical diagnostic capability and pandemic management.
• An ER renovation and expansion at a cost of $3.4 Million was completed in 2016.
• A state-of-the-art Psychiatric Unit (built in 2019) composed of 16 beds at a cost of $6.6 million was built, of which was primarily funded by the federal government through a grant application process.
• The building of a Hurricane Safe Room/Clinical Space Utilization for Psychiatry was the first such safe room established as a dual purpose clinical unit in the United States.
• The establishment of the first Medical Emergency Operations Center in Acadiana recognized by GOHSEP at the national level provides ongoing clinical support in a hurricane event. As a result, FEMA has yearly acknowledged the hospital’s MEOC by reimbursing hospital salary expense in any declared hurricane event.
• The conversion of the hospital information systems to a clinical Electronic Medical Record/Total Hospital Information Systems utilizing Cerner Clinical Information systems (a cost of $3.3 Million).
• Management of a hospital in a pandemic and application and receipt of federal grant funding of $11 million.

EXPANSION OF COMMUNITY SERVICES

With increased capabilities and development, Abbeville General has been able to expand its services to the community to include:
• A partner in 24/7 Medical & Surgical Consultative Call Services in Cardiology, Psychiatry, General Surgery, OB/GYN - Pediatrics, Orthopedics, and other specialized services in a Low- Income Care Collaborative agreement with partnering facilities in the Louisiana network.
• The introduction and expansion of Telemedicine applications in primary care and emergency department operations; Information Technology applications house-wide with inter-links to the electronic medical record to include home monitoring of patients.
• Established a clinical affiliation with Lafayette General Medical Center for assistance with specialized physician services like oncology.
• Established an affiliation with Our Lady of Lourdes for management of stroke and utilization of robotics to access neurological services.
• Property was donated to the hospital district through an Act of Donation (assessment at $2.6 million). Site planning has begun for the building of an Ambulatory Surgery Center, Medical Office Building, Womens’ Center and Cardiac Laboratory program/service development on this adjacent hospital property.

Over the years, Ray Landry has been a preceptor for multiple MBA/MHA students employed at AGH and participating in the University of Louisiana at Lafayette programs. Therefore, in addition to improvements in facilities, services, and programs, Abbeville General Hospital continues to support efforts to sponsor many employees hospital-wide in their pursuit of advanced Healthcare education credentials. Thirty-one hospital leaders have or are currently participating in Leadership Vermilion through the Vermilion Chamber of Commerce.

BIOGRAPHY

Ray Landry was born in Abbeville in 1956 at the Palms Hospital, the youngest of six children of Nasta “Cank” Landry and Odile Baudoin. With no more than a third grade education of their own, and with the full support of his five siblings, it was always his parents’ intention that at least one of their six children attend college. Ray is married to Vickie Romero Landry, the daughter of Alphe Romero and Lillian Pontiff; Vickie is a former VPSB Family and Consumer Science (FACS) and Mathematics teacher. The Landrys have two children: Ian Landry, an Internist residing in New York, and pursuing a Hematology-Medical Oncology fellowship at Mount Sinai Queens; and Meghann Landry, a licensed Interior Designer in Baton Rouge.
As a 1974 graduate of Abbeville High School, Landry continued his education at USL graduating in 1978 with a degree in Pre-Medicine with concentration in Biology, Chemistry and Microbiology. Landry credits his career ambition to one of his USL professors Dr Eugene Stueben, who said, “I do not understand why you do not want to pursue medicine as your grades are excellent specifically your laboratory skills.” At the time, Landry worked at Abbeville General in the Operating Room as a summer student. Landry told him Medicine was not right for him. His professor then asked if he had not considered hospital administration due to his organizational skills in the laboratory. Landry asked, “What is hospital administration?”. The professor then referred him to Dr. Dan Voorhies and Gary Fontenot at Lafayette Charity Hospital.
Landry began his career in Hospital Administration in 1978 at Lafayette Charity Hospital, an environment of learning which he thoroughly enjoyed. He was assigned multiple administrative projects including the role of “Hospital Move Coordinator” for the new location of University Medical Center. He physically sat at the UMC site for two years before the move in order to get the facility retrofitted to accommodate the equipment which had been ordered. After 11 years in the Charity Hospital System assuming multiple administrative roles (including Joint Commission Compliance, Human Resources and Risk Management, and ER/Outpatient Clinic Management), Landry was appointed Administrator at Abrom Kaplan Memorial Hospital in 1989 where he served four years. He valued that work as he learned from technical experts what cannot be learned in a textbook. The Kaplan Hospital work ethic was phenomenal.
In 1992, Landry received an MS degree with Academic Distinction in Healthcare Sciences Administration from the College of Saint Francis, Joliet, Illinois.
Landry was appointed Administrator at Abbeville General in February 1993. When he arrived, Landry worked with seasoned managerial staff. These treasured experiences allowed him multiple learning opportunities from a different perspective. Currently, Landry has assumed the role as “teacher” as he has appointed the next generation of caring, dedicated, and smart healthcare leaders to guide Abbeville General into the future. Landry adds, “The Abbeville General employee is a blessing to the community which cannot be overstated and is many times unrecognized by many. Hospital employment has become more challenging due to COVID and other unexpected events. Vermilion parish holds a treasure in the Abbeville General employee.”
Landry holds a Fellowship and Board Certification with the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), which dictates rigorous ongoing Competence and Education Requirements for the Fellow designation.

Landry’s other accomplishments/achievements include:
• Louisiana Hospital Association District President
• Board Member, Hospital Services of Louisiana
• Board Member, Louisiana Hospital Association Professional & General Liability Trust
• Board Member, Physician Trust
• Co- Founder & Advisory Board Member of the Irvin and Josephine Levy Cancer Foundation
• Board Member, Louisiana Rural Hospital Coalition
• Board Member, Healthy Louisiana Initiatives

Of his time at Abbeville General, Landry adds, “I have enjoyed 28 years of tremendous and welcomed cooperation from all Abbeville General hospital personnel, physicians and from the community which empowered me to better perform as a servant-leader. I thank each and every one who made my job a joy to come to work each day. I sincerely value each and every minute of my professional work experience over my entire 43-year career devoted exclusively to the science laboratory of Hospital Administration, with Abbeville General to be always foremost in my memory.”
In retirement, Landry plans to spend more time with family, with travel and gardening as hobbies. He is especially eager to pursue the meaningful and worthwhile experience started as a personal hobby interest: becoming a professional genealogist and researcher through Ancestry.com.

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Weston Miller, M.D., Chief Medical Officer Comment: With direction from the Hospital Board and with calm and enviable patience, Ray Landry has steered the helm of Abbeville General through turbulent waters of the Healthcare Industry over the past three decades. He has been the envy of his peers, combining longevity with national, state, and regional recognitions of excellence by accrediting agencies as testaments to his success. Although he will be missed, he has amassed a vibrant and talented workforce that fosters a “can-do” esprit de corps with a road map his leadership has plotted to realize visions for expansion and continued evolution of systems promoting patient safety, care, and services. He holds forever the respect of a grateful Medical Staff. All the best to you and yours, Ray.

Gregory Fontenot, M.D., Chief of Staff Comment: Mr. Landry has led Abbeville General with grace, integrity, and unparalleled success. I joined the Abbeville General team in 2017 primarily due to his leadership. He has led with a personable and sincere style and has a genuine love of Abbeville and the people of Vermilion Parish. I have never met a man better at his job than Ray Landry has been as C.E.O. of our hospital. He will be dearly missed. 

Mark Piazza, Mayor of Abbeville Comment: Ray Landry has been CEO of AGH during my entire 20 years as Mayor. We have worked closely together on issues such as hurricane evacuations and shelters, the newly constructed safe room for the cities first responders, renovations, and expansions at the hospital and city utility concerns and improvements, just to name a few.
The advances in Medical Technology and services that Ray has implemented at AGH have been a tremendous benefit to our community and has provided services to our city employees that are consistent with big city hospitals. I will miss his leadership and experience and wish him well for his retirement.

Lynn Guillory, Executive Director, Vermilion Chamber of Commerce Comment: As the Chamber’s Executive Director, I have been fortunate to work with Abbeville General’s CEO, Ray Landry, for 15 years. Mr. Landry is a visionary leader who has a clear understanding of the challenges in today’s rural healthcare environment. He understands the importance of great customer service and quality of care. I had the pleasure of having Mr. Landry, “Ray" as a participant in the Chamber’s Leadership Vermilion Class 1. Since that time, Ray has been a staunch supporter of the program and he believes in providing leadership training to his Abbeville General leadership team. As of today, Ray has enrolled 31 employees of Abbeville General in the program. I am very sad to see my friend Ray retire but I believe he has put together a leadership team that will continue Abbeville General’s proud legacy of patient care.

According to John Boudreaux, Chairman of the Hospital Board, Abbeville General will initiate a nationwide search for Hospital CEO.
Minimum Qualification Requirements will be:
• Five Years progressive acute care hospital management experience at a senior acute care hospital management level;
• Master Degree in Business or Hospital Administration;
• Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) preferred.