Health care authority CEO resigns, is arrested twice in two days
Booth
Fischer
Following a closed session of the Escambia County (Ala.) Healthcare Authority Tuesday afternoon, Stephen Fischer was appointed as the interim Chief Executive Officer following a week that saw former CEO Jeffrey Quentin Booth placed on paid administrative leave, followed by his resignation and then Booth being arrested twice: Friday and Saturday.
Booth, 59, a resident of Dadeville, Ala., had served as the health care authority's CEO since April, 2021. Earlier last week Booth was placed on paid administrative leave. He submitted his letter of resignation to the board last Thursday.
About 9:40 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, Brewton police officers responded to D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital in reference to an unwanted person on the campus. Officers arrived and made contact with Booth who was on the property. Police determined Booth was intoxicated and he was arrested for public intoxication and was given an official trespass warning to stay off hospital property by hospital administrators and was transported to the Escambia County Detention Center.
Reports from the Brewton Police Department said Booth was released from jail on his own recognizance Saturday morning but about 11 a.m. Saturday, police were called again concerning Booth being back on the property. Officers made contact with Booth and arrested him for criminal trespassing. He was again booked into the Escambia County Detention Center and later released.
During a healthcare authority meeting Tuesday afternoon at Atmore Community Hospital, the board appointed Fischer as the interim CEO of the healthcare authority.
Fischer will have the overall responsibility for all of the authority's operating entities that include Atmore Community Hospital and its home health agency, D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital and its clinics, D.W. McMillan EMS and D.W. McMillan Home Medical Equipment.
"The board believes Stephen will be a great fit and will provide ongoing transitional support to the authority's over 500 employees in Escambia County," Debbie Rowell, healthcare board chairwoman said in a prepared statement. "Stephen will continue to serve in the interim capacity while be board conducts a search for a permanent CEO."
Fischer has served in a number of senior leadership capacities over the past several years, the release states.
He began working with the healthcare authority in April, 2019 as a financial consultant and interim CEO and was appointed Chief Financial Officer in February, 2020.
Rowell said Fischer's familiarity with all of the healthcare authority's current leadership team will allow him to integrate quickly.
Fischer most recently served as the healthcare authority's CFO. During his time as the authority's CFO, Fischer was responsible for the areas of finance, materials management, information technology health information management and revenue cycle for the organizations under the health care authority.
According to the release, Fischer has about 30 years experience in both healthcare finance and healthcare administration, holding multiple positions at several hospitals and healthcare systems in Kentucky, North Carolina, Illinois, Florida, Mississippi and Indiana. His previous positions have included division director of finance, associate vice president of finance, regional chief financial officer, chief financial officer and interim chief executive officer. Fischer has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Ball State University and a master's degree in health sciences from Webster University.
