ASHEVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 28, 2012) – Mission Health President and CEO Ronald A. Paulus, MD, was recently appointed to the North Carolina Hospital Association (NCHA) Board of Trustees.

Dr. Paulus was elected to the Physician or Hospital Trustee position by the NCHA membership at the organization’s annual summer meeting, held July 18-20 in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

“I am honored to serve on the NCHA Board of Trustees,” said Dr. Paulus. “The NCHA is an important organization that seeks to improve care quality and innovation, while facilitating collaboration across the state. I look forward to contributing to that effort and serving North Carolina in this position.”

The NCHA is a trade association for hospitals and healthcare systems throughout the state. It promotes improved delivery of quality healthcare in North Carolina through leadership, advocacy, information and education. Its NC Quality Center has been a national leader in driving statewide quality improvements through hospital collaboration and data-driven improvement initiatives. Prior to this election, Dr. Paulus served on NCHA's Policy Development Committee.

Before joining Mission Health, Dr. Paulus served as the Executive Vice President, Clinical Operations and Chief Innovation Officer at Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania, Pa. Dr. Paulus received his medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and his MBA, with a concentration in healthcare management, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

About Mission Health

Mission Health, based in Asheville, N.C., is the state’s sixth-largest health system and the region’s only not-for-profit, independent community hospital system governed and managed exclusively in western North Carolina. In 2012 Mission Health was named one of the nation’s Top 15 Health Systems by Thomson Reuters – the only health system in North Carolina to receive this recognition.

Mission Health, which traces its roots in the region back to 1885, operates five hospitals, numerous outpatient and surgery centers, and the region’s only dedicated Level II trauma center. Its medical staff consists of more than 1,000 physicians and is certified in over 50 medical specialties and sub-specialties. Mission Health has seven Centers of Excellence: Cancer, Heart, Neurosciences, Orthopedics, Trauma, Women’s Health and Mission Children’s Hospital in Asheville – the region’s only Children’s Hospital. Mission Hospital, located in Asheville, is the system’s flagship hospital and is licensed for 730 beds. It is the regional referral center for tertiary and quaternary care and is the busiest surgical hospital in North Carolina. Other Mission Health member hospitals include Angel Medical Center in Franklin, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine, McDowell Hospital in Marion and Transylvania Regional Hospital in Brevard. With approximately 8,800 employees and 700 volunteers, Mission Health is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the people of western North Carolina.