Doug Boysen, President and CEO of Samaritan Health Services, recently received the “Grassroots Champion” award from the American Hospital Association (AHA).

Each year, one health care leader from each state is chosen as an AHA Grassroots Champion based on that leader’s “work over the previous year to effectively deliver the hospital message, help broaden the base of community support and advocate tirelessly on behalf of patients, hospitals and communities,” according to Richard Pollack, President and CEO of the AHA.

Boysen was recommended for the national honor by the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems.

In a letter announcing Boysen as the award recipient from Oregon, Pollack said Boysen earned this special recognition through his dedication to the hospital mission, on both the local and the national level.

“I appreciate this recognition, particularly because it is connected to our work to communicate the importance of our mission,” Boysen said.  “It is central to all we do at Samaritan and I commend our employees for their efforts every day to demonstrate our mission through their work.”

Boysen became Samaritan’s President and CEO in January 2018, succeeding long-time President Larry Mullins. Since that time, Boysen has worked to increase awareness of Samaritan’s mission of “Building Healthier Communities Together” through its efforts in four strategic areas: quality and service excellence, employee engagement, community partnerships, and sustainability.

Samaritan Health Services is a not-for-profit network of hospitals, clinics and health services caring for more than 250,000 residents in the mid-Willamette Valley and central Oregon Coast.