By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The incoming president of Alabaster’s Shelby Baptist Medical Center said he is looking forward to coming back to the city in which he started his career with Baptist Health Centers more than a decade ago, and said he is ready to address the challenges of a changing health care landscape.

During a March 18 interview, current Walker Baptist Medical Center President Bob Phillips, who was named the new president of SBMC the same day, said he looking to build on the foundation laid by outgoing SBMC President David Wilson.

“I’m looking forward to the challenges that will come with this new role. It’s a good opportunity,” Phillips said. “When David made the decision to leave, I was excited to have the opportunity to assume that role.”

Phillips has been an administrator at Walker Baptist since 2009. Prior to his tenure at Walker, Phillips served six years as executive director of operations for Baptist Health Centers. Phillips also served as senior director of patient financial services and operations director for Baptist Health Centers.

When he began his tenure with the Baptist Health System 15 years ago, he was based at Shelby Baptist.

“By first job was at the Shelby Baptist Medical Center campus, so I’ve always known and appreciated Shelby Baptist from that role,” Phillips said. “Shelby is a bit larger than Walker Baptist, and it is obviously very important to the community.”

Baptist Health System and Tenet Healthcare are working toward a merger between Baptist Health and Brookwood Medical Center. Baptist Health System signed a non-binding letter-of-intent to form a jointly owned company with Tenet Healthcare in December 2014.

Phillips said his move from Walker to Shelby “is not related to that process.”

Phillips said he is looking to help Shelby Baptist continue to navigate a changing health care landscape in the face of programs such as the Affordable Health Care Act.

Currently, hospitals are compensated based primarily on the volume of services they perform, Wilson said during a February address to the Alabaster-Pelham Rotary Club. The combined company is planning to work with insurance providers to put a greater emphasis on providing preventative wellness care to patients.

“We will look to respond to all the changes to health care that are going on right now,” Phillips said. “I’m eager to continue to do the things that have been successful at Walker once I get to Shelby.”