Beterra Client Leadership Series: Lauren Faison-Clark, MBA
Building a Culture of Excellence: Lauren Faison-Clark’s Vision for Rural Healthcare
In today’s dynamic healthcare environment, leaders like Lauren Faison-Clark are redefining what it means to serve communities through innovation, compassion, and resilience. As Chief Executive Officer of Doctors’ Memorial Hospital (DMH) in Perry, Florida, Lauren is not only leading a transformation but also fostering a culture. A culture built on excellence and trust.
A Calling Rooted in Community
Lauren’s journey into healthcare leadership began not in a hospital, but in the heart of community advocacy. Working with nonprofits that supported low-income families, she witnessed the persistent barriers to accessing care. “Access to healthcare was always a challenge,” she recalls. That firsthand experience shaped her purpose: to develop partnerships and creative solutions that bring healthcare within reach for everyone. Her path has since spanned more than twenty-five years in healthcare and public service. Before joining DMH, Lauren served as Service Line Administrator for Regional Development, Population Health, and Telemedicine at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare. Her strategic leadership helped extend TMH’s reach across North Florida and South Georgia, while pioneering telehealth programs to close critical care gaps.
Defining a Vision: ‘Building a Culture of Excellence’
When Lauren arrived at DMH, she recognized that the organization needed more than operational fixes; it needed a unifying vision. So, she gave the team one. Borrowing from construction-site language, she launched a bold internal campaign: “Pardon our dust, we are building a culture of excellence.” These bright yellow signs weren’t just décor. They were a declaration of intent. “It quickly became our guiding principle,” Lauren says. Today, it’s enshrined as DMH’s official vision, adopted by the Board and embraced by every team.
Visible Leadership in Turbulent Times
Leaders must be present. That principle has guided Lauren through some of DMH’s most trying seasons. Over the past year and a half, her team has faced not one, but three hurricanes, alongside the closure of the region’s largest employer. “These events bonded us,” she says. “We came out of it different; closer and stronger.” Lauren makes it a point to walk the halls, join daily huddles, and stay connected through group chats and informal check-ins. “Staff need to see and feel us beside them. That’s how you build trust,” she says. “And when trust is present, people will follow.”
Redefining the Workplace Experience
Central to Lauren’s strategy is the idea that DMH should be a “workplace destination.” That starts with pay equity. Recognizing outdated compensation structures, she led a redesign that shifted investments from part-time and PRN staff to full-time clinical employees, ensuring that those who anchor the care team are properly supported. She also launched leadership development and professional training programs to promote internal growth, a move that signals investment in the team’s long-term potential.
“Our staff is the most resilient group of people I’ve ever worked with,” Lauren says. “They deserve a workplace that recognizes that.”
Elevating Safety, Grounded in Staff Reality
Quality and safety improvements aren’t just data points for Lauren—they’re human stories. And she believes those stories start with the people doing the work.
“Our decisions must reflect the reality of frontline staff,” she emphasizes. “When we include their voices, we gain their buy-in and thereby better results.” This philosophy led to one of DMH’s most impactful initiatives: a full-scale renovation of the Emergency Department. Backed by a Florida Department of Health grant, the hospital upgraded its ER environment and overhauled its care model by bringing emergency providers in-house.
The results: Within a month, patient satisfaction and clinical quality scores saw measurable improvement.
Harnessing Technology for Greater Reach
Looking to the future, Lauren is energized by advances in remote care. Programs like remote patient monitoring, chronic care management, and hospital-at-home are more than just buzzwords but critical tools for rural access. “Technology allows us to meet patients where they are: at home,” she says. “That’s a game-changer for communities like ours.”
Guiding the Next Generation
Lauren’s advice to emerging healthcare leaders is equal parts heart and grit: “Be creative. Challenge the status quo. And bring passion to work every day. That’s what our patients and our staff deserve.”
She credits much of her leadership foundation to her experience as a student-athlete. “I was an awkward middle-schooler who learned confidence, teamwork, and leadership on the volleyball court. By my senior year, I was captain of a state championship team. That experience shaped who I am.”
Looking Forward with Purpose
As healthcare costs rise and reimbursement lags, Lauren senses a challenge but also an opportunity. From physician recruitment to balancing budgets, the path ahead will demand creativity, advocacy, and an unwavering focus on mission. “This work is personal,” she says. “We’re not just operating a hospital. We’re safeguarding the health of our community.”
With a clear vision, resilient team, and deep commitment to those they serve, Lauren Faison-Clark and her team at DMH are not just navigating rural healthcare’s future. They’re defining it.
About Doctors’ Memorial Hospital
Doctors’ Memorial Hospital is a vital community hospital serving Perry, Florida, and surrounding Taylor County. As a rural provider, DMH is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality care close to home. The hospital offers a range of services and continues to expand its capabilities under visionary leadership.
We are proud to be partnered with DMH and leaders such as Lauren Faison-Clark.
This post is part of Beterra’s ongoing series highlighting exceptional leaders in healthcare safety and quality. Stay tuned for our next story!
