Direct Line from Max Buetow for 8/18/2023

Aug. 18, 2023

Celebrating 10 years of Cox Medical Center Branson

There are moments when you are celebrating a step into the future, and it causes you to take a breath and reflect on how far you have come.

I had one of those moments on Thursday, as we gathered with the Cox Medical Center Branson Board to place the final beam on our new super clinic in a traditional “topping out” ceremony.

The new CoxHealth Branson Hills clinic represents the latest step in our ongoing investment in serving the Branson area. It takes on special meaning this month, as we are celebrating the ten-year anniversary of our partnership with Cox Medical Center Branson.

It is hard to believe that Cox Branson has been a part of CoxHealth for a decade, and it is even more impressive when you think of the progress and change our Branson teams have spearheaded in that time.

In 2013, Skaggs Regional Hospital had served Branson for 62 years. Despite its rich legacy, like many hospitals, it was struggling financially as it worked to meet the needs of the growing community. As Skaggs sought out a partner, CoxHealth stepped up. We committed to an investment of $100 million in the hospital, including facility and equipment upgrades.

Now, Cox Medical Center Branson is one of the jewels of the CoxHealth system – serving a thriving community that is a unique mix of small-town and international tourist destination. In a video our team put together in honor of the anniversary, William Mahoney, senior vice president and president of Cox Medical Center Branson, discussed the special relationship the hospital has with the community.

“Branson is booming, and in a booming town, you have to have good health care,” says William. “We provide that care. I would have never thought in ten years we would have the depth of physicians that we now have and the facilities we now offer.”

That success is the result of a mission-driven partnership – and a match that has been perfect for serving patients and the community.

Charity Elmer, executive vice president and general counsel, was one of the leaders who worked on making the partnership a reality. She remembers clearly how the Skaggs staff and board shared in CoxHealth’s mission, making it a perfect fit.

“My main memories from that time are the opportunities I had to meet with William Mahoney and the Branson Board. I knew immediately that they were in it for the right reasons,” Charity says. “They wanted what was best for Skaggs and the community. Branson embraced the partnership so quickly, and I credit William Mahoney’s leadership for that.”

Charity is not the only one to notice how much William has been at the center of this success.

Cox Branson has delivered great performance, both in quality and financially, but what has stood out to me is the culture and the leadership.

William has always been a leader who I look up to and have tried to emulate. He has gone out of his way to invest in me, offering feedback that has encouraged and sharpened me.

He once told me: “Surround yourself with people who think differently and who are willing to challenge you. And allow for that challenge.”

William has done that with his team in Branson and across our Community Hospital Group, and I know how invested he is in his leaders and his colleagues. When you round with William, he knows everyone’s names, and he knows everyone’s story. It is clear that he cares.

That culture permeates Cox Branson, and the commitment to people – both patients and the community – made it easy for CoxHealth to come alongside our Branson teams to fulfill our mission.

“From the beginning, hospital leaders were engaged,” Charity says. “And, in my 10 years on the Branson Board, I have always been impressed by how dedicated the Board members are. The Board always looks for ways to do more for the community, to serve meaningfully, and to make a difference. They truly care.”

Over the past decade, CoxHealth has invested in Cox Branson, but Cox Branson has given so much to the system as well.

Jake McWay, executive vice president and chief financial officer, says the partnership helped establish CoxHealth as a regional health system.

“We were able to bring together two of the great provider groups in the area and enhance our ability to provide care and access across the region,” Jake says. “It completely changed the face of CoxHealth. It was imperative to expand our footprint, and we are so much stronger with Cox Branson.”

CoxHealth and Cox Branson have made each other better in an elegant, symbiotic relationship that continues to mature.

Cox Branson’s size – and our teams’ willingness to be creative, while supporting system strategy – make the hospital a perfect proving ground for innovation.

When you look at recent projects like our Virtual Care Team, Cox Branson led the way with our initial pilots. As we focus on quality improvements systemwide, we have looked to, and learned from, the outstanding work of our Branson teams.

Similarly, in recent years, leaders like Brock Shamel and Dr. Shawn Usery have brought their expertise, honed at Cox Branson, to the system level. It should be noted that our CMG Senior VP of Operations and our Chief Medical Officer both got some of their first major opportunities under the leadership of William Mahoney.

By joining forces, we have been better for our communities, the region we serve, and one another as colleagues. It is a powerful partnership that benefits everyone involved.

As we prepare for the opening of our new super clinic next spring, I am eager to see how we will continue to grow in Branson. A decade ago, we would not have foreseen where we would be today: preparing to launch a 30,000 square-foot clinic that will include primary care, Urgent Care, Occupational Medicine, Specialty Care, as well as on-site radiology and lab services.

Like all of the growth and success we have seen in Branson, the development of the clinic is deeply rooted in our mission.

“The mission is so important. And the fact is, not many people in health care are investing in communities like we do,” William says. “The fact that we have really been able to improve the health of our community has meant a lot.”

I couldn’t agree more. I want to thank everyone who has made this journey possible—the incredibly talented medical staff and our colleagues, Cox Branson’s leadership and community partners, as well as the patients and families who have trusted us with their care.

Cox Branson’s legacy is secure, the future is bright, and we have strong support from our colleagues and the community. We have a decade of progress in the books and we are just getting started!

Thank you for all you do,

Max