Christian Gross, FACHE, vice president of operations at Baptist Health-Fort Smith and Baptist Health-Van Buren, recently became a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the nation’s leading professional society for healthcare leaders.
Gross has served as vice president of operations for the River Valley hospitals since March 2023. To obtain fellow status, candidates must fulfill multiple requirements, including membership in ACHE, meeting academic and experiential criteria, references, earning continuing education credits, demonstrating professional/community involvement, and passing a comprehensive examination. Fellows also are committed to ongoing professional development and undergo recertification every three years. As of Jan. 1, 2024, only 8,651 healthcare executives hold this distinction.
Gross earned a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, and received a Master of Science in Health Care Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. He is board-certified as a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. He most recently served as the director of operations with HCA Healthcare, overseeing their urgent care service line in Denver, Co. Prior to his time at HCA, Gross worked on risk adjustment for Medicare populations in the Texas panhandle for Humana and then served in various leadership roles focused on care connectivity and strategic growth with UMC Health System in Lubbock.