Southern Administrative Services hires Tim Hill as COO; plans to expand operations into Walnut Ridge

Former UAMS Chief Operating Officer Tim Hill has been hired to the same position with Southern Administrative Services, according to the company. Hill’s tenure began Aug. 1.

Hill will be responsible for all aspects of elder care operations, quality and safety programs, census development and talent management. His hire comes as the company plans to announce plans for a nursing home facility in Walnut Ridge, but no specifics have been released. An official announcement is expected on Tuesday (Aug. 25) in Walnut Ridge.

“We will look for every opportunity to create a system, where we share best practices among client facilities and leverage our position in the market” Hill said.

John Ponthie, managing member of Southern Administrative Services, said he was pleased with the hire.

“Tim has almost 40 years of experience in healthcare administration, most of that here in Arkansas. We are thrilled to have partnered with someone who embodies servant leadership and who has earned the respect of his healthcare colleagues throughout the state”, he said. “Tim’s genuine personality, team-oriented approach, and established relationships across Arkansas are just what we were looking for in a Chief Operating Officer. We are pleased that he has chosen to lead our team as we look to reimagine long-term care services and facilities in Arkansas,”

Hill served as COO of UAMS for the past three years. Hill joined SAS as it embarks on its Green House Cottage model of nursing home care to Arkansas.

The Green House Cottage concept incorporates new facility design, staffing models and underlying philosophy of customer-driven care. Featuring small, freestanding homes with a central kitchen/common area and a nursing staff, the Green House Cottage closely mimics a home-like atmosphere and environment of independent living, while providing traditional nursing home care.

SAS provides administrative support to a network of 30 Arkansas long-term care facilities across the state. Among these facilities are four Green House Cottage developments – in Little Rock, Paragould, Rison, and Magnolia — with one more coming online this fall in Mena. Further expansions are planned.

Hill served in the past as the CEO of the Southwest Hospital in Little Rock and in the same capacity for the North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison. He also worked as the CEO of the Arkansas Heart Hospital in Little Rock.

“I wanted this role because I want to continue making a difference in Arkansas, especially in the lives of our more advanced Arkansans. The Green House Cottage concept is transforming long-term care in the state. That bold vision creates excitement and motivates our workforce. There’s no bolder vision than reimagining an industry as important to people as long-term care,” Hill added.