David Bernier's Schools

• Columbus University , Class of 2000 Ph.D in Business Administration and Public Policy Graduated with honors, Magna Cum Laude Thesis, “The Process and Development of Multi-Hospital Systems.”

David Bernier's Publications

• Wayland Baptist University, David Bernier June, 2010 As an undergraduate, I attended Wayland Baptist University in Wichita Falls, Texas, where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration and Marketing. Wayland, which is the oldest university on the High Plains of Texas in existence, was started in 1906 by the Staked Plains Baptists Association when Dr. and Mrs. James Henry Wayland offered substantial funding for a new school. Two years later, the founders issued a charter application to the State of Texas for the Wayland Literary and Technical Institute. After another year, construction began on a campus in Plainview, Texas, and classes were held in September 1910. That same year, the school’s name was changed to Wayland Baptist College. Wayland Baptist College became a four-year college in 1948, the same year that it started a distance learning program with a language institute in Guadalajara, Mexico. In 1981, Wayland adopted university status and shortly thereafter launched its graduate and lifelong learning programs. Today, Wayland continues its expansion, opening a number of additional campuses nationally and internationally. Since its inception, Wayland has remained dedicated to providing an education that integrates faith with learning, producing community leaders who will actively work to serve humanity. Today, Wayland Baptist University offers a variety of distinguished undergraduate and graduate courses, including top pre-professional programs. The university is home to a School of Behavioral and Social Sciences, a School of Business, a School of Education, a School of Fine Arts, a School of Languages and Literature, a School of Math and Science, a School of Music, and a School of Religion and Philosophy. Wayland is also forging a path in online educational programs with innovative new degree-granting curricula.

• David Bernier - Medical Background, David Bernier August, 2010 I entered the Ph.D. program in Business Administration and Healthcare Policy at Columbus University in Mississippi with the intent of building a strong foundation of knowledge for my career to come. Years after completing my Doctorate degree, I’m able to look back on my academic experience with pride, knowing that I have accomplished a great deal since then. As an Administrator at Lake Chelan Community Hospital in Washington State, I assisted in the process of establishing the hospital as one of Modern Medicine’s “Best Places to Work in Healthcare” in 2008. Although Lake Chelan Community Hospital isn’t part of a large hospital system, the institution functions in a similar manner to any other well-run health care facility. The considerations that I kept in mind to achieve success as Administrator are intrinsically connected to the subject of the graduate thesis I wrote as a student at Columbus University. My thesis, titled “The Process and Development of Multi-Hospital Systems” explored the fairly recent phenomena of what some consider a major movement toward corporate medicine. Multi-hospital systems are organizational structures consisting of two or more hospitals, separate as physical entities yet owned and operated by the same organization. As managed care began to take over in the late 1980’s, selective contracting also became more predominant. Because of this, hospitals seeking to improve financial operations saw great potential in consolidation, either through merging with or acquiring other hospitals. This resulted in the formation of multi-hospital systems, and despite the significant proliferation of this business model, the underlying motives spurring the development of “integrated” hospitals haven’t been unanimously agreed on. Literature on the subject notes three major reasons that many medical facilities are choosing to function in groups. First, the ability to exploit economies of scale, thus eliminating the need for duplicative equipment, is quite appealing to administrators. Second, partnering with other hospitals reduces administrative costs and makes the most of purchasing power. Third, multi-hospital systems allow for streamlined marketing plans. Over the course of my career, I have gained an insider’s perspective regarding the benefits and detriments associated with these systems. As a hospital administrator, there are numerous issues to take into consideration regarding this subject. For me, however, providing patients with excellent care and ensuring a healthy work environment for hospital employees should always be the primary focus.

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