An organization needs a strong and intelligent leader in order to achieve continued success over two decades, especially in a competitive and changing industry such as healthcare. That person for Northwest Community Healthcare is Bruce Crowther, who this month is celebrating 20 years as president and CEO.
Crowther, 60, is just the third CEO in Northwest Community’s 52-year history. His unwavering commitment to outstanding healthcare has brought NCH a long way since January 1992, when he stepped up to lead the organization after serving two and a half years as executive vice president and chief operating officer.
Crowther is a visionary leader who always seeks the best for the community, transforming NCH into a state-of-the-art medical center that is one of the largest in Illinois. He has been the driving force behind a number of major patient-focused improvements to the hospital’s Arlington Heights campus, most notably the 284,000-square-foot South Pavilion in 2010.
The nine-story, $250 million South Pavilion – the biggest project in NCH history – includes a high-tech Emergency Room, sophisticated Critical Care Unit, advanced mother-baby facilities, and 200 private patient rooms. Crowther has set his sights on “redefining what a community hospital can be,” and has achieved it.
“He is smart, he is personable, he is honest, he thinks strategically, and people like him,” said Malcolm MacCoun, his predecessor as CEO. “They like working with him and working for him. He is a terrific administrator, he really is.”
Under Crowther’s leadership, NCH has earned a number of key recognitions such as Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” three times; Magnet status for nursing excellence that is held by only 6 percent of all U.S. hospitals; and designations as a Primary Stroke Center and accredited Chest Pain Center.
The launch of the NCH Medical Group and addition of the NCH Health Center in Mount Prospect in 2011 reflect Crowther’s ability to stay on the cutting edge of healthcare delivery, creating a convenient system of care that meets the needs of today’s patient. The culture at NCH, for both patients and employees, remains second to none.