Bret Kolman, FACHE

Centerpoint Medical Center—part of HCA Midwest Health, Kansas City’s leading healthcare provider—announces that Bret Kolman, FACHE, has accepted the position of chief executive officer. He will replace David Williams, who is retiring following a 35-year career in healthcare, including six at Centerpoint Medical Center. Kolman assumes his responsibilities today at the 243-bed, acute care hospital with a Level II Trauma Center.

An exceptional and intuitive servant-leader who cherishes the journey with medical staff, employees and the community to provide high-quality, compassionate healthcare, Kolman’s successful career is built on a foundation of leading by example. He encourages open communication and establishes a genuine level of mutual accountability. Appreciating differences of opinion on how to approach different situations and challenges, Kolman facilitates discussions of ideas in search of optimal solutions—a leadership style both transparent and patient-centered, resulting in industry-leading metrics for employee engagement and patient satisfaction. Collaborative by nature, Kolman thrives on working with the medical staff, employees and community to have the hospital under his watch be the provider and employer of choice in the region.

After working as an auditor for a Big Five accounting firm in Kansas City, Missouri, Kolman started his healthcare career in 1992 as a financial analyst for HCA Midwest Health (then Health Midwest). Following that position, Kolman was promoted to chief financial officer at Lafayette Regional Health Center in Lexington, Missouri, a position he held from 1995 – 2008. In 2003 he was also appointed chief executive officer at Lafayette Regional Health Center where his many accomplishments over a 10-year period included ranking in the top five percent in HCA inpatient satisfaction surveys in 2010 and 2011; ranking in top 10 percent in HCA’s physician satisfaction scores; and consistent EPITDA growth for more than nine years, among many others.

In 2013 Kolman was tapped as chief executive officer of HCA’s Lakeview Regional Medical Center in Covington, Louisiana, which converted to a campus of Tulane Medical Center in May 2017. Accomplishments during his five years as CEO include obtaining Level III trauma designation, becoming only the sixth hospital in the state to become trauma-accredited; ranking in HCA’s top 10 percent by physicians for: Places to Practice, Administration, Nursing Care, Patient Safety and Quality of care, among other metrics; driving employee engagement, resulting in 14 consecutive years in the top 10 percentiles.  Additional hallmarks include Lakeview Regional Medical Center being nominated and selected as a 2018 Top Places to work and merged with the renowned Tulane academic medical center to drive practice opportunities, community benefit and reimbursement.

“I’ve known Bret for many years and have taken great pride in watching him evolve as a true servant-leader and one that’s respected not only by his team, but by the community,” says HCA Midwest Health President M.L. Lagarde III. “Having Bret come back to this area, where his roots are so strong, and having his skills, insight and passion for delivering high-quality healthcare to patients and their families is a priceless asset as Centerpoint Medical Center continues its growth as eastern Jackson County’s healthcare leader.”


Kansas City Business Journal


“It’s exciting to return to Kansas City and a pleasure to serve as CEO for Eastern Jackson County’s leading healthcare provider,” Kolman says. “To have the opportunity to work alongside a passionate team of physicians, nurses and employees who are dedicated to providing patients and their families the highest quality of compassionate healthcare is an honor. This is an exciting time for Centerpoint Medical Center and its growth, allowing us to provide an even higher level of care, technology and services to promote the community’s health and well-being.”

Kolman earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a bachelor’s degree in finance, graduating cum laude, at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.  He also passed all parts of the rigorous CPA exam in one sitting, something accomplished by only 10 percent of people taking the exam. He received a Master’s in Healthcare Award, also receiving the Outstanding Thesis Award, at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and, while at the university, continued his affinity for finance by completing 12-plus hours of statistics.

For more information about Centerpoint Medical Center, visit Centerpoint Medical Center.