By: Dawn Brand Fluhler—
Muncie, IN– Jeff Bird, MD, has been named the new president of the East Central Region for IU Health which includes IU Health Ball Memorial and Blackford hospitals. Dr. Bird currently serves as chief operating officer and chief medical officer for the hospital.
“I am honored and humbled to serve in a leadership role for a hospital that I’ve called home for the better part of my career,” said Jeff Bird, MD. “Mike Haley has done a tremendous job leading our hospital through some rocky waters over the last eight years and I am privileged to follow in his footsteps.”—Jeff Bird, MD
A Muncie native, Dr. Bird graduated from DePauw University before graduating from the Indiana University School of Medicine and completing his residency in Family Medicine at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital. He practiced medicine in Muncie for several years, and then returned to the same residency he graduated from to serve as associate director, a post he would hold for 13 years before being named vice president and chief medical officer in 2009. That role expanded to include chief operating officer in 2014. He has also served as a member of the hospital’s board and chair of its medical staff.
“Anyone who knows me knows how deeply I care about this hospital and this community,” Dr. Bird said. “As we look forward, I have a high level of confidence in the physicians, nurses and team members that provide care inside these walls every day. It will be an honor to continue to work alongside those folks to provide the best possible care for our patients.”
Delaware County businessman John Littler, who serves as secretary/treasurer for the IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital Board of Directors praised Dr. Bird’s experience and perspectives as a lifelong physician and resident of Muncie that uniquely qualify him to lead the hospital.
“We are fortunate to have Dr. Bird’s experience and knowledge in our community and leading our hospital,” Littler said. “He understands what is necessary to provide the best healthcare possible for local patients every day in a very challenging environment. He is intimately familiar with the day to day rhythms of a regional hospital and understands the concerns of physicians, nurses and other healthcare workers. I look forward to working with him in the years ahead.”
Michael Haley has served as president of IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital since January of 2009. In March of this year, he was asked to lead a behavioral health collaborative for IU Health. A special reception is scheduled for Haley from 2-4pm in the South Tower Atrium on May 31.
Dr. Bird will assume the duties of president for the East Central Region on May 28.
About Indiana University Health Ball Memorial Hospital
IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital serves as a tertiary referral center and teaching hospital for East Central Indiana and part of Indiana University Health. IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission and maintains 1.2 million square feet of facilities. More than 17,500 patients are admitted every year and more than 310,000 outpatient procedures are completed annually. Michael Haley is President. Learn more at iuhealth.org/ball-memorial.
