Blessing Hospital names veteran from North Carolina as chief operating officer

QUINCY — Brian Canfield recently joined Blessing Health System as chief operating officer. He joins Blessing after nine years as the chief operating officer at Firsthealth of The Carolinas and Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst, N.C., where he was responsible for three acute care hospitals with 509 beds, a critical access hospital and a staff of 4,500 employees and 950 volunteers.

“I am truly honored and humbled to join the Blessing Health System team of dedicated professionals who work tirelessly, every day around the clock, to care for the citizens and families in the communities we serve,” Canfield said in a press release. “I am fully committed to our mission: To improve the health of our communities.” 

Canfield served 28 years in the United States Army and with the Department of Defense. His last assignment was as CEO/commanding officer of Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg, N.C. He was the first non-physician selected to command the 340-bed-capable tertiary care teaching hospital with eight multi-specialty ambulatory care and primary care medical home clinics serving more than 185,000 patients. The medical center was a key medical evacuation center for wounded and ill service men and women returning from overseas. It was home to the Army’s largest warrior transition unit, responsible for successfully transitioning wounded and ill soldiers back to duty or to productive citizen status. 

Canfield previously served in Afghanistan, where he was responsible for planning, coordination and synchronization of 12 hospitals, 32 clinics, 14 forward surgical teams and all ground and air medical evacuation resources in Afghanistan for more than a half-million U.S. military and partner nation forces.

Canfield holds a masters of healthcare administration degree, a masters of business administration degree and a masters degree in national security and strategic studies.

This position is new for Blessing Health System. Blessing Hospital once had a chief operating officer, but with Blessing’s growth, the chief operating officer position was created to become a systemwide position.