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Alan Vierling Speaker Biography
Throughout his almost 30-year career in healthcare, Alan Vierling, DNP, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FABC, has had just one goal: “go where I can make a difference.” This commitment to servant leadership has taken Alan across the country as he has worked as a clinician, teacher and healthcare executive at a variety of medical institutions.
Alan Vierling is currently interim executive of BE Smith in Anchorage. He formerly served as the President of Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Michigan. Alan was recruited to Lansing from Houston, Texas, where he led Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital. Alan’s role in Lansing has been to help create a better culture in an organization faced with challenges in case delivery, employee engagement and physician relations. In under one year, organizational scores have risen, patient satisfaction has reached a three year high, and physician engagement and recruitment are on the rise.
Dr. Vierling has held numerous roles in his career since starting as an Operating Room Technician in 1981. His career progression has placed him at the forefront of healthcare evolution and at the heart of North America’s greatest natural disaster. Dr. Veiling’s combined clinical and operational background has led to a successful career as a healthcare leader. Dr. Vierling has held executive roles with Carilion Clinic, Medical Facilities of America, Genesis Health Care and Harris Health. He has extensive experience in both acute and sub—acute care, including profit, non-profit and academic safety net health systems. Dr. Vierling is a sought-after speaker, lecturing on leadership and crisis management. He holds degrees from Emory University, the University of Florida, Radford University, and his doctorate from Old Dominion University. From 2014 through February of 2019, Alan served at Harris Health System in Houston, Texas. As the Executive Vice President/Administrator for Harris Health’s Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Hospital, he worked to make LBJ the community hospital of choice and a model for other community hospitals. LBJ is the busiest Level III trauma center in the nation. The 328-licensed bed facility is a major medical teaching partner of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Alan assumed the administrator position at LBJ in June of 2016 after filling it on an interim basis. A hands-on leader and mentor, Alan increased LBJ patient satisfaction and employee engagement scores, and reduced nurse vacancy rates. In August of 2017, he successfully led LBJ through Hurricane Harvey crisis management and response by maintaining an open, full-service facility, deploying ride-out and recovery teams, and sheltering storm evacuees.
Before leading LBJ, Alan served as Harris Health’s Senior Vice President of Organizational Transformation and LBJ’s interim Chief Nursing Officer. Alan is a registered nurse. His experience in clinical care, healthcare consulting and executive management include tenures at HCA Columbia in Salem and Blacksburg, VA; Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA; Medical Facilities of America in Roanoke, Genesis Healthcare System in Zanesville, OH; and Encore Health Resources in Houston.
Alan earned a Doctorate degree in Nursing Practice from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia; and a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Nursing from Radford University in Virginia. In 2017, he was recognized by the Houston Chronicle as one of “Houston’s Top 150 Nurses,” and by Harris Health System as a “Harris Health Hero.”
For more information on Alan Vierling, please contact Executive Speakers Bureau 901.754.9404.
In the Eye of the Storm−Leadership Lessons from Hurricane Harvey
Dr. Vierling spent 5 days in his hospital surrounded by 6 feet of water when Hurricane Harvey hit Houston. Before, during and after there were innumerable lessons learned about dealing with an unexpected crisis. Lyndon B. Johnson is the only hospital in northeast Houston. As a safety net hospital serving the indigent and poor, LBJ was figuratively and literally an island during the storm. In addition to the challenge of a full hospital during the hurricane, the leadership at LBJ had to contend with over 180 evacuees who showed up unexpectedly during the storm. Morale, fatigue, rampant rumors, and dealing with your caregivers as victims were common challenges. This presentation teaches the lessons learned during this crisis and how you can successfully apply those lessons to your everyday mission.
