Fortified by Faith
Don A. Beeler, FACHE, Receives
Favorite Quote:
“My favorite quote comes from Wayne
Gretzsky, a former world-renowned ice
hockey player. When asked one day
how he became such a great hockey
player, he answered, ‘It’s simple; I just
learned to skate where the puck is
going to be!’ To me this means that
we need to be mindful of not just the
present but also of the future and the
impact we can have. I hope I have done
this in my life, in my career and in my
relationships with others.”
14 T E X A S HOSPITALS H January/February 2010
the 2009 Earl M. Collier Award
for Distinguished Health Care
Administration
By J il l M. Johnso n
I
In 1869, Sisters Madeline Chollet, Pierre Cinquin and Agnes Buisson left Galveston for San
Antonio by stagecoach. They traveled nearly 200 miles on roads that were essentially noth-
ing more than wagon ruts. When they arrived, they learned that one building intended for
their use had burned to the ground. Undaunted by this setback and fortified by their faith,
the Sisters set out to rebuild the burned structure. After eight months of arduous effort,
the hospital was finished and what was then named Santa Rosa Infirmary was born.
Today, more than 140 years later, that hospital founded by the Sisters of
Charity of the Incarnate Word has expanded into the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa
Health System. Like the Sisters, Don Beeler, FACHE, former regional president
and chief executive officer of CSRHS, who recently retired after 38 years of ser-
vice with CHRISTUS Health, never let challenges stop him from carrying out the
Sisters’ founding mission. To honor his dedication to the health care profession
and his excellence in health care administration, Beeler was named the 2009 Earl
M. Collier award winner, the Texas Hospital Association’s highest honor.
Superior Patient Care is in the Details
Although much changed in Beeler’s four decades as a hospital administrator,
one focus never did: compassion for the patient. According to Beeler, he didn’t
choose a career – he accepted a call. While working as an administrative resident
at what was then called Santa Rosa Health Care in 1973, he wondered how to
handle this venture into hospital administration. Then-CEO Sr. Angela Clare
Moran, who also served as his preceptor, simply advised him, “Just do what’s
best for the patient. We can deal with the details in the morning.”

Beeler understands that the details
do have to be addressed eventually and
thrives on balancing operational excellence
with quality patient care.
“Don’s detailed style has played a criti-
cal role in advancing each campus to meet
the needs of patients,” said Vice President/
Administrator Michael McBride. “His
impact on CSRHS goes beyond adminis-
trative leadership, helping us bring about
operational changes that have enhanced
our capacity to care for all patients.”
Beeler also has a proven record as
a strategist to address patient needs.
During his seven-year tenure at the helm
of CSRHS, Beeler oversaw the expansion
of children’s services and specialty clin-
ics such as the new pediatric kidney and
liver transplant program; championed
the expansion of academic training by
strengthening ties with The University
of Texas Health Science Center at San
Antonio (establishing CHRISTUS Santa
Rosa’s Children’s Hospital as the premier
academic pediatric hospital in South
Texas); expanded the emergency depart-
On the Value of Employees
and Their Service:
“CHRISTUS Santa Rosa is both a
special and somewhat unique orga-
nization for a number of reasons and
now remains as San Antonio’s only
faith-based, not-for-profit health
system. Santa Rosa is blessed in
having a wide diversity of associates,
physicians and volunteers, some of
whom have served for more than
half a century. And when we con-
duct our annual associate survey,
the repeated number-one response
contributing to associate satisfaction
is the mission of the organization.
Much of this, I believe, is attributable
to the ever-present legacy left by our
Sisters that each of us, regardless of
our individual role, truly represents
the body of Christ through our
service to those whom we’re privi-
leged to serve.”
Advice for Younger or Future
Hospital Administrators:
ments of both CHRISTUS Santa Rosa “My number-one piece of advice is:
Children’s Hospital and CHRISTUS Santa If you’re looking for a ‘job,’ don’t go
Rosa Hospital - Medical Center, increasing into hospital administration. Only
patient comfort and decreasing wait times;
pursue the field if you’re looking for
supported the creation of the CHRISTUS
Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital - Center for a challenging career where you can
Miracles, an organization that helps victims make an impact, fully embrace all
of child abuse; expanded partnerships to aspects of this profession and fully
increase access to top-level treatments of commit to the many responsibili-
care for cancer patients; and supported ties that go with it, both internal to
the new 68,000-square-foot medical office
the organization and external to
building of the Medical Center campus.
the communities served. My second
piece of advice is to try to align your
A Mission-Driven career with organizations that have
Foundation similar core values and philosophies
to your own. And third, whatever
With “No Margin – No Mission” as his
mantra, Beeler strengthened finances and your role may be, fully commit to
augmented services, expanding the health do your best, as your future career
system from two campuses and three opportunities will always depend on
facilities to a regional delivery system your past successes.”
with four campuses, five facilities and a
network of outpatient surgery centers.
Under his leadership, CSRHS acquired
the former McKenna Memorial Hospital
in New Braunfels to serve residents of
Comal County and Central
Texas. In July 2009, CSRHS
opened CHRISTUS Santa
Rosa Hospital - Westover
Hills, the first full-service
hospital in the fast-growing
and underserved area of far
west San Antonio. Beeler
also facilitated the acquisi-
tion of a majority ownership
interest in CHRISTUS Santa
Rosa Physicians Ambulatory
Surgery Centers, which con-
sists of five outpatient surgery
centers in San Antonio and
New Braunfels.
In 2008, Beeler and San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili starred in a
“Don has helped the
series of television ads highlighting CSRHS being named a Distinguished
system achieve its best finan- Hospital for Clinical Excellence by HealthGrades®. CSRHS has received this
cial performance in more honor for six consecutive years, from 2004 to 2009.
than a decade as CSRHS
has improved its financial performance
year over year for the past seven years,” foundation upon which to build and to
said McBride, adding that today CSRHS ensure that the 140-year legacy of the
employs more than 3,500 associates, has Sisters of Charity is firmly preserved
operating revenues of nearly $600 million, for years to come,” he said. “He has
and works with a medical staff of 1,950 assembled a management team capable of
continuing these wonderful achievements
physicians.
Stephen Dufilho, CSRHS’ outgoing into the future.”
board chairman, agreed. “Don has truly Continued on page 16
transformed this ministry, laying a strong
Ja n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 0 H T E X A S H O S P I T A L S 15
 Continued from page 15
Full Circle
Beeler moved to Texas in 1962, and after receiving undergraduate and
graduate degrees from Texas Christian University, he moved to San
Antonio in 1971. He received a master’s degree in health care adminis-
tration from Trinity University and began his residency at CHRISTUS
Santa Rosa. In 1973, Beeler was named assistant administrator.
Subsequently, Beeler served as executive vice president of the former
Incarnate Word Health Services in San Antonio and joined CHRISTUS
St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont in 1992 as chief operating officer.
He then moved to CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System in Texarkana
in 1995 where he served as regional president and chief executive offi-
cer. During that time, he set in place firm financial measures, improved
rankings of patient and physician satisfaction, and expanded hospital
facilities and services. Beeler moved back to San Antonio in 2003 to
lead the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System. Beeler is unabashedly
proud that his retirement coincided with the 140th anniversary of the
CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System. “My legacy is preserving the
legacy of these committed religious women, and I have been blessed to
be a steward of this rich heritage,” he said.
So his career culminated where it began, in his beloved city of San
Antonio. He married his wife, Virginia, here 40 years ago, in the same
Beeler and his
wife, Virginia, will
celebrate their
41st wedding
anniversary
in 2010.
church he still attends, First Presbyterian San Antonio. Both of
his now-grown children, Steven and Allyson, were born at Santa
Rosa in the 1970s.
But as he enters retirement, don’t expect his passion for
service to the community to wane. Yes, he’ll be spending more
time on the ski slopes, and he plans to travel overseas. But a true
leader never just fades into the shadows. He’ll carry on his com-
mitment to caring for the underserved through his service at his
church and civic duties – continuing to give back to a city and to
the people who nurtured a calling that grew into an impressive
and fruitful career. H

~ Don Beeler Notables ~

American Hospital Association Grassroots
Champion Award for political advocacy efforts
at the state and national level (2009)

A Fellow in the American College of Healthcare

Executives and two-time recipient of its
prestigious Senior-Level Healthcare Executive
Regent’s Award

Distinguished Healthcare Administration Service

Award from the South Texas Chapter of American
College of Healthcare Executives (2006)

CHRISTUS SANTA ROSA HEALTH

CARE SYSTEM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
n One of only two hospitals in Texas
and the only one in San Antonio to receive
the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical
Excellence™ six years in a row
n In 2009, named one of America’s 50 Best
Hospitals by HealthGrades®

n Received the Gold Seal of Approval from

16 T E X A S HOSPITALS H
The Joint Commission
n Recognized by the TMF Health Quality
Institute in 2007 as a hospital that
demonstrated excellence in health care
quality through improved performance on
national quality measures
January/February 2010