Rulon Stacey, Ph.D., FACHE, is the president of University of Colorado Health, which combines one of the top-performing community health systems in the nation with the highest-ranked academic medical center in the country.
Mr. Stacey joined Poudre Valley Health System (PVHS) in 1996 as the fifth CEO in just four years. In the next 16 years he led the transformation of PVHS into a health system with more than 5,300 employees and two dozen facilities in three states.
During his time at PVHS, Mr. Stacey distinguished himself as a healthcare executive, international speaker and author because of his ability to lead the industry in finding ways to align incentives with regional providers in order to maximize value to patients. These partnerships include nearly 20 joint ventures with physicians in the region and Medical Center of the Rockies, a unique joint ventured regional tertiary referral center between PVHS and Regional West Medical Center, Scottsbluff, Neb. Such joint ventures allowed the health system to focus on quality outcomes while nearly quadrupling the net revenue and net assets of the health system.
In November 2008, Poudre Valley Health System was one of only three organizations and the only healthcare organization in the United States to receive that year’s prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest presidential recognition for performance excellence.
In March 2011, Mr. Stacey was confirmed as 77th chairman of the 38,000-member American College of Healthcare Executives. A native of Provo, Utah, Mr. Stacey holds a bachelor of science in economics and a master’s degree in health administration from Brigham Young University and a doctor of philosophy in public administration from the University of Colorado.
Mr. Stacey received the 1999 Robert S. Hudgens Award from the American College of Healthcare Executives as the “Young Healthcare Executive of the Year.” In 2005, Dr. Stacey was named as Northern Colorado’s Business Leader of the Year by the Fort Collins Coloradoan and Entrepreneur of the Year by the Northern Colorado Business Report. In 2000, the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver, named Mr. Stacey a Milstein Scholar for having written that year’s best dissertation.
In August 2011, Modern Healthcare named Dr. Stacey among the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare for 2011. Among others on the prestigious list were President Obama and Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Poudre Valley Health System was also recognized in 2012 as one of the top 15 health systems in the U.S. by Thomson Reuters. This recognition was in addition to Poudre Valley Hospital being named one of the top 100 hospitals five consecutive years and one of only seven hospitals in the United States to be designated as a Magnet hospital three times.
Good information! Thanks for taking the time to keep us informed.
Have you considered an internal blog with the physician population?
Health care costs are the major issue currently. What is your opinion on:
1. ONE insurance reimbursement form for ALL insurance providers? Since the administrative costs of completing a multitude of forms for each different insurance company is expensive for each provider wouldn’t that decrease physician overhead? as well as hospital? Linking it to the Electronic Medical Record system would also benefit. OR is this contributing to the fear of “BIG BROTHER”?
2. As the baby boomers age we will all face death. Would an education program about death and dying benefit individuals and health care providers?
Hello,
If this is Rulon Stacey, good, if not, well, this message is going to seem extremely irrelevent and weird.
My name is Alec and I live in Bend Oregon. I’m currently in a production of The Laramie Project, and I’m portraying you. You’ve probably gotten messages in the past about this but, I was actually wondering if I you could email me sometime quite soon, so I could talk to you about, well, you.
Again, if this isn’t Rulon Stacey, I’m sorry for the inconvienience.
Thanks,
Alec
Dear dad,
I had no idea about any of this crazy school you went through….thanks for TELLING ME!!! haha love you!
love your soon to be smarter then you daughter
catherine
September 20th, 2010
Dear Rulon Stacey
Hi, my name is Andrew Schau I am a senior at Climax-Scotts Jr./Sr. High School in Climax, Michigan. I read your editorial; Playoffs: A Cure for the BCS written on September 7, 2010. I was very interested in your editorial but I don’t necessarily agree with you and the playoff system.
First I would like to state some points that I agreed with. I definitely agree with the schools that are in the BCS needing to pay back for the damage they have done to the BCSEA. I also agree with the money that is given to the BCSEA “should be divided equally among all Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I) football programs outside the BCS. This will give a substantial advantage to the non-BCS programs for several years, which is only appropriate,” that way all schools have an amount of money to use.
What I do not agree with is how you think the BCS is “morally” bankrupt. I’m not sure what you meant by “morally” bankrupt and I’m not sure how you think they are bankrupt. If the BCS was bankrupt then how are they still getting away with these high money bowl games? The only way a college is going to become bankrupt is if they pay the one hundred million dollars BCSEA fee for each bowl they’ve been too, for some colleges that’s a lot of money because of all the bowl games they’ve been to. I do not think BCS playoffs are appropriate.
Another thing I would like to point out about the BCS playoff system: How come there is only 32 teams? Why not give more teams the opprtunity to win a championship. Let’s face it in NCAA basketball there are the cinderella teams that make the tournament but there are a lot of bigger name colleges that have a great season that don’t make the “dance.” Why not let every team have the same chance like in the BCS in college football? In college football every team has the same oppurtunity to make it into the playoff and once you lose you’re done, I don’t like that idea of one loss and you’re done.
I hope you have found my letter to you interresting, your editorial was very well written. I don’t necessarily agree with you and the playoff system as you have read.
Thank you for your time,
Andrew Schau
[...] Like most healthcare firms, a contingent of Furst Group executives is in Chicago this week for one of the major events of the year: the ACHE Congress. It’s quite a large gathering this year with attendance of 5,000 expected. And the Congress has not disappointed, with strong challenges in inspirational speeches from the likes of Ben Carson and Rulon Stacey. [...]
My son just alerted me to your new book. I thought for sure I’d be getting a hot-off-the-press, autographed copy, but I’ll settle for being one of the masses ordering through the online publisher.
Congratulations and I look forward to a good read! Take care, my friend.
Marilyn
Dr. Stacey;
I and many others are looking forward to your visit to Colorado Springs this coming Thursday to share your perspective and experience transitioning Poudre Valley Health System from a public hospital into the world-class independent nonprofit healthcare provider it is today. While the City Council here is considering how, or if, to put a similar transition for Memorial Health System on the ballot in November, there are some who propose to sell it to a for profit corporation. I was wondering if in your presentation on Thursday you might explain why Poudre Valley did not pursue that option and perhaps even suggest how things might be different today if it had.
Thank you for your time and consideration, Guy Theriot
Dr. Stacey,
I am a professional Healthcare representative, it is my job to work with healthcare providers with education and inform them of new innovative technology. I am reaching out to you because it is getting harder and harder to introduce new technology to Hospitals like Poudre Valley Health Systems. Things like Reptrax, that make it almost impossible for a representative to even go into purchasing and even ask a question with out getting marked down for even asking who to talk to about new technology. I would hope that your System would even have a green committee that looks at what they can do to keep hazardous material to a minimum.
I couldn’t resist writing something here about Rulon, since I’ve been married to him 30 years this April. I recall when we were first married with and barely had enough money to eat. Rulon arranged to meet with a financial planner. The financial planner asked us what our dreams and goals were for the future. I shared mine and then Rulon started talking. It took me a bit to realize that I was sharing my dreams and goals 5 years out and Rulon was sharing his dreams and goals for 20 years out. It’s been like this ever since, which is why I like the name of his blog: Visionary…..Healthcare. He is truly a visionary. I think this is one of the reasons he has been able to take PVHS to places they may not have ever dreamed of. Congratulations on being selected in the top 100 hospital administrators honey!!
Linda
President Stacey is one of the most influential men I have ever had the opportunity to meet. He volunteered many hours to help teach, encourage, and bless the lives of many young men, including mine. He gave hope to me and others that we too could be successful in our pursuits as he is in his. He would work long hours as the CEO of PVHS and still make it to our meetings, which were completely voluntary! President Stacey even took an evening to give me direction and insights towards my schooling. I don’t know of anyone who cares so much about everyone. Along with all of these things, he has dedicated time and energy to building a wonderful family. I hope the best for both President Stacey and his family.
Mr. Stacey,
I have been recommended by Dennis Tolman to reach out for mentors in the Healthcare Administration career. I’m hoping we can get in contact, and I would live to learn things in the industry from you. Please contact me via email! Looking forward to speaking with you!
Justin
Hello Mr. Stacy,
I am writing from your old stomping grounds here in Leadville, Colorado. I am still teaching at Lake County High School and have just started a new program, Advanced Technologies. Students are learning how to build, rebuild, update, troubleshoot and construct computers and peripherals. They have deemed themselves, “The Einsteins.” We would like to get some white Lab Coats for these students to wear as they are out and about helping teachers and students with their technology. Might your hospital have a supply of used white Lab Coats to donate? I have already checked with hospitals/doctors locally and have come up empty handed. I came across your name several times while googling Colorado Hospitals. I’m so glad to see you are doing so well. Thank you, Roxie Aldaz
Hello Rulon,
Congratulations on your continued success and especially for navigating this ‘exciting’ healthcare environment which needs your creativity, vision and innovation. Having lived in Ft. Collins for many years, I have been an observer of PVH and of your leadership. When you were here you had a reputation of being very open and accessible. I am researching the essentials of leadership and am interviewing outstanding leaders. In particular I am using an Appreciative Inquirey approach, and would very much appreciate 30 minutes of your time in the next month if at all possible. Respecting your schedule and demands, I know this may not be possible, but nonetheless want to make the effort.
Respectfully and with Best Wishes for your continued success,
David Quigley M.S.W, PHR, BCC