2023 Health Care Champions Administrator: Dr. Ronald Evans

One thing Dr. Ronald Evans has realized in his 30-plus year career is that practicing medicine can be a challenging profession. But he reminds fellow physicians of the reason they went into medicine, which is generally the desire to serve and meet individuals’ needs while they are in a vulnerable state. He makes it a priority to not only encourage physicians to meet their goals, but walks side by side with them to ensure that they have the necessary tools and resources to do so.

“Providing infrastructure and support for physicians to practice medicine empowers them to practice in what they would consider an ideal practice situation,” says Evans.

As chief medical officer of Citizens Memorial Hospital, Evans works alongside CEO Michael Calhoun to provide quality care and leadership to all patients in all departments.

“My role is to encourage, educate and empower our medical staff to deliver the safest, highest-quality care to our patients,” Evans says.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in biology and his medical degree at University of Arizona, Evans went on to intern in the general surgery department at the University of California-Irvine before completing his residency at Lester E. Cox Medical Centers Family Practice Residency Program.

Throughout his time in the medical field, Evans has strived to expand his impact within his line of work. In 2013, he joined private family practice Boliver Family Care Center LLC under the CMH umbrella.

He says the move was a significant step for him in developing an approach to providing health care to rural patients.

“One of the things that excited me most about this partnership was the ability to leverage the knowledge and experience that I had to improve the health of not just the patients who walk through my door but of our whole community,” Evans says.

Evans also played a big role in CMH’s acclimation to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting changes to operations.

He and his staff were able to initiate and implement the coronavirus treatment protocols that were available within a week, which he says was a huge step in the process of combating the limited resources caused by the pandemic.

Additionally, Evans recently was able to provide education and help develop protocols to paramedics for the start of CMH’s newly established Mobile Integrated Health Program, an initiative aimed to reestablish the standard and protocol of current emergency medical services staff responses to 911 calls.