Getting to Know: Oceans Healthcare CEO Stuart Archer

Getting to Know is an ongoing series from Behavioral Healthcare Executive that highlights executives and organizations in behavioral health and addiction treatment who are on the rise and making a difference. Today, we meet Stuart Archer, CEO of Oceans Healthcare, which provides inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services at 33 locations.

Archer joined Oceans Healthcare in 2014 after previously serving as chief operating officer at LifeCare Management Services and as senior vice president of market development for LHC Group. Since joining Oceans Healthcare, Archer has guided the company through a period of growth that has led to Oceans being recognized by Dallas Business Journal as one of the 50 fastest-growing organizations in North Texas.

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What is your leadership philosophy?

I believe there is value in curiosity, especially when it comes to conventional business methods and practices. I believe that much of what some companies do equates to the 8-glasses-of-water-a-day rule; it sounds good, but no one call tell you why we do it. A leader can add tremendous value by simply asking “why” and “why not?”

If you could go back 5-10 years in your career, what is one lesson you’ve learned since then that you wish you could tell your past self?

One of the most important insights I wish I had learned sooner would be the tremendous impact words can have on an individual. A leader can positively (or negatively) impact the way people feel about themselves and their value to a team with just a few simple words. A leader must be mindful that tough news and coaching can be delivered in a way that is respectful to the person and their dignity.

If your organization achieves significant growth over the next 5 years, it will be because… 

We have done our job identifying new markets where there is clearly defined need and quickly deploying the right resources to meet that need—whether that is through acquisition, de novo developments, joint venture partnerships or expansion of existing services. Oceans is now at a point in our growth where we are well positioned to execute on our plans. Our ability to do that while providing high-quality care in a safe environment will continue to drive our growth.

The biggest challenge facing our field as a whole today is…

The pandemic has opened up discussion around behavioral health at the provider and community level like never before, and we are seeing growing demand for care. Those factors have also converged to expose cracks in our nation’s mental health system, including the shortage of behavioral health providers. Oceans has always targeted underserved communities, so we see have seen the disparities firsthand as we work to increase—or simply create—access to care. It’s something we are putting increased focus on as we work to attract and retain the right people, but I think our industry has to come together to do more to build the pipeline of qualified professionals and make sure we are a part of the conversation that’s taking place about behavioral healthcare in our country today.

What challenge keeps you up at night?

Though we’ve made tremendous progress, mental health parity is very much still an aspiration. At Oceans, we spend a lot of time talking about how we can do our part to level the playing field and demonstrate the inherent value of addressing a patient’s mental healthcare needs. We’re very focused on defining those metrics and evidence-based practices that will improve care and move parity forward in a meaningful way.

What drives your personal commitment to our field? What is your inspiration?

My healthcare career began when I took a summer job as an aide in a skilled nursing facility. This experience gave me a deeper understanding of the struggles many patients, specifically older adults and seniors, face as they manage the physical and behavioral challenges that come with aging. I saw how vulnerable these individuals were and how their needs simply were not talked about in many circles. This experience ignited my curiosity about healthcare and gave me a particular interest in serving this population. I’ve been lucky enough to shape a career that allows me to draw upon some of the lessons I learned through this experience. I believe people who work in mental health have tremendous empathy, and I’m constantly inspired by the compassion of our team members who look past an individual’s mental health challenges to see a person who deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

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GETTING TO KNOW…Oceans Healthcare

Website: oceanshealthcare.com

Founded in: 2004

Services offered: Inpatient and outpatient behavioral health treatment for adults, older adults and adolescents

Number of locations: 33 locations including 23 inpatient hospital campuses

Number of staff: 2,000

Total patient capacity:  850+ beds

Payment methods accepted: Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurance and private pay

Billing services vendor: eSolutions

EHR vendor: HCS

Marketing services provider: Lovell Communications Inc.

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Interested in having your organization and its leaders featured in an upcoming edition of Getting to Know? Email BHEGettingToKnow@naccme.com for details.