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 James R. Castle President
& CEO
James R. Castle is president and CEO of the Ohio Hospital Association. OHA’s 45-person staff strives to offer exceptional value and service to member hospitals and the communities those hospitals serve. The association serves as a common voice for Ohio’s about 170 community hospitals, advocating their interests in the General Assembly and in Congress as well as other governmental entities and outside organizations. In addition to its advocacy role, OHA provides members with educational programming to keep them current in an ever-changing health care field. The association offers publications that are timely and pertinent, as well as research and data analysis. OHA also manages 11 professional societies with approximately 1,900 members. Since coming to OHA in 1989, Jim has positioned the association as a leading authority in health policy issues at both the state and national levels. He regularly travels across the state speaking to community and business groups and spreading Ohio hospitals’ reform message: the way to reduce health care costs is to create healthy communities. OHA believes improving a community’s health is a responsibility shared among hospitals, other health care providers, government, businesses and individuals. Jim also encourages hospital executives, along with community and business leaders, to look outside the legislative arena and develop private initiatives to nurture healthy communities. Also under Jim’s leadership, OHA has successfully worked with government officials to attract more than $300 million in federal funds annually to help cover hospital costs to care for uninsured Ohioans. OHA successfully advocated for the expansion of Medicaid to include more children. The focus now is on advocating for improved outreach efforts to enroll more of those children who are eligible. Looking to the future, the association has employed a new and exciting Strategic Direction under Jim's guidance to create a health care environment where adequate reimbursement, health care access for all, a committed workforce, hospitals leading the way to prosperous, healthy communities, and Ohioans practicing healthy lifestyles are a reality. Jim serves on many boards and committees for the American Hospital Association and was appointed an AHA Commissioner to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations in January 1999. He is also a member of the board of the Coalition to Protect America's Health Care, an ex-officio member of the OHA Board of Trustees and serves on various community and state boards including The Ohio State University’s Professional Advisory Board and the Ohio Medical Quality Foundation Board. Jim is active in several professional organizations, including the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Ohio and American Societies of Association Executives. Before coming to OHA, Jim served as president of the Maine Hospital Association. He also worked for 15 years with the Michigan Hospital Association where he held numerous positions, including regional vice president, assistant director of government affairs, systems engineering coordinator and personnel consultant. A native of Ludington, Mich., Jim graduated from the University of Michigan’s School of Business Administration with a bachelor’s degree in finance and Michigan State University with a master’s degree in labor and industrial relations. Jim and his wife, Patty, have two adult children, Amy and Sarah. Jim is a fly fisherman and bow hunter. © 2001-2008 OHA. Last updated
January 03, 2008. |
