Meet the Gen Z CEO leading a Montana critical access hospital

At just 26, Billy Rogers has stepped into his first hospital CEO role. He is leading Mountainview Medical Center, a critical access hospital in White Sulphur Springs, Mont., effective Dec. 8. 

Billy Rogers studied finance in college and initially planned to work on the financial side of hospitals, with a particular interest in statistics and trend analysis. Over time, he became drawn to the collaborative nature of administrative work.

After college, he held hospital finance and clinical informaticist roles at Mountain Communities Healthcare District in Weaverville, Calif., where he oversaw the hospital’s EHR system.

“In that role, I worked in all departments and learned the workflows of everyone, so I was able to learn in that position what each department did in the hospital, which has helped in my current role,” he told Becker’s.

He steps into the CEO role at an important time — Mountainview is about a year into the construction of a replacement hospital. With the building nearly enclosed, construction teams are expected to begin interior work throughout the winter.

“Our goal is to have the new facility open and patients all moved in by next November,” he said. “A big priority right now is getting caught up on all of that information and making sure that the project isn’t delayed because of a change in administration.”

Another early focus is building strong relationships with staff and the local community — a familiar one for him.

“I lived here as a kid, so seeing familiar faces and reconnecting with people is always a priority, and it’s a great part about moving back up to this community,” he said. 

Billy Rogers moved to White Sulphur Springs as a child in 2008, when his father, Aaron Rogers, became CEO of Mountainview Medical Center. Aaron Rogers served in the role until 2015, when the family relocated to California and he became CEO of Mountain Communities Healthcare District — a role he still holds.

Aaron Rogers said he is proud of his son and the hospital’s ongoing success. Many leaders who were at the hospital when he became CEO in 2008 —  including managers of the laboratory, clinic, radiology, physical therapy and billing departments — remain in place.

Billy Rogers said he is especially encouraged by the high level of leadership and physician retention.

“It’s definitely not an easy thing to retain in critical access hospitals or in a rural area. Not everyone wants to live in a super small town, and at the end of the day, the medical staff are the people who make this hospital run,” Billy Rogers said. “I’m truly thankful for everyone around me that has been doing this for a long time, and it also goes to show that it’s a great place to work.”

One week into the role, Billy Rogers said he still has a lot to learn — but long-tenured staff and established relationships are easing the transition. 

He said he has long been drawn to critical access hospitals and knew he wanted to return to White Sulphur Springs. These hospitals are often the largest employers in their towns, he noted, and when one closes, both jobs and healthcare access are lost. 

Aaron Rogers told Becker’s that one piece of advice he shared with his son is to always keep the hospital’s mission in mind.

“You are there to run one of the larger employers in town,” he said. “The community relies on the hospital ultimately to provide good care for the patients, but also to bring state and federal dollars into the community that otherwise would not be there.”

Billy Rogers is among the first wave of Generation Z healthcare workers to step into executive roles. In the healthcare workforce, they range from part-time student workers to 28-year-old leaders. Tony Pfaff, president of Cypress Healthcare — which operates the hospital — also began leading hospitals around the same age, Billy Rogers said.

“It is pretty rare to be 26 years old and running a hospital,” he said. “I’m truly blessed that the board and Tony accepted me to do this role.”

Aaron Rogers also shared broader advice for the next generation of hospital CEOs: work hard, and understand the patient, employee and financial sides of the business.

“So many stories of failing hospitals seem to be because of leadership forgetting the mission and/or not knowing enough to see warning signs in time to make changes,” he said. “Stay connected with what the community wants and needs. Understand where every dollar comes from and where every dollar goes. You cannot lead hospitals from the sidelines. Connect with staff and value them in all ways possible.”

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