DeWayne Bailey serves as the Director at Alabama Rural Health Collaborative, UAB Health System, a nonprofit designed to help rural and public hospitals across the state. (Provided)
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By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
Don’t ask DeWayne Bailey what it’s like to be named one of Birmingham’s 40 under 40, an honor bestowed by The Birmingham Business Journal (BBJ) this year on up-and-coming local professionals who have distinguished themselves in the metro area. Bailey, along with 39 others were honored at a special event in February at The Haven.
“I still don’t know yet but ask me again in a few months,” Bailey said. “It’s hard to talk about myself. I’ve found myself having to do it (talking about myself) more often but it’s not something I like to do,” said Bailey.
He may not like to speak about himself, but his resume certainly speaks for itself.
Bailey currently serves as the Director at Alabama Rural Health Collaborative, UAB Health System, a non-profit designed to help rural and public hospitals across the state.
Created in AHRC was formed by the Alabama Legislature in March 2018 to “increase access to high quality care for rural Alabamians and improve health” in the wake of hospital closure. “As the first rural hospital resource center, we have resources such as a mobile simulation which goes to all the rural hospitals and train the clinicians, nurses, radiologists, any type of support staff at the hospital on different things such as CPR. A lot of the trainings are related to OB care,” said Bailey.
“We also help them with our technical support in the form of revenue cycle assistance. We help a lot of hospitals with their revenue cycle,” he added.
Baily has also worked at UAB Callahan Eye Hospital & Clinics as an organizational effectiveness manager during the height of the pandemic in March 2020; UAB as a facilities administrator and quality assurance coordinator and various roles with the Alabama chapter of the NAHSE (National Association of Health Services Executives).
“You can get a master’s in health care administration and sometimes people go back and do administrative residencies and fellowships to actually get kind of a hands-on experience at being a health care admin,” said Bailey.
A Birmingham native, Bailey attended John Carroll High School where he graduated in 2002. After high school, he spent a year at Auburn University before transferring to the University of Alabama- Birmingham (UAB) where he finished his bachelor’s degree in biology in 2007. He would go on to pursue his Master of Business Administration.
“Recently in the last two years I have started a mentorship program under that organization. It caters to graduates and early careerist who are interest in pursuing careers in the health care administration,” said Bailey.
Mentoring is not new. Five years ago, he was part of Determined 2 B (D2B) Birmingham where he helped reach out to young men of Birmingham metro areas “in hopes of teaching them the quality of both a spiritual and physical life.”
Bailey said his interest in the medical field came from his mother, Valerie Bailey. “She was already in the health care field. She was nurse, but I knew that I didn’t want to be a nurse. She also had kidney failure, so she was on dialysis the entire time I was in undergrad.”
Shortly after graduating from his undergrad, Bailey said he was,” fortunate enough to be able to donate her a kidney. It was done at UAB, and I thought the experience was efficient. I thought from an administrative standpoint or operational standpoint the entire process was smooth and that kind of sparked my interest in wanting to be a healthcare administer.”
His mother is doing well today, said Bailey, a member of the National Kidney Foundation.
“She’s proud of me. I am the first person in my family to get a master’s degree and the first person in the family to have a leadership role. Just thinking about all the sacrifices she made for us. From going to private schools, trying to make sure that we stayed on top of our education, she’s starting to see it payoff in my awards,” said Bailey.
Bailey, who has one brother who currently resides in Texas, said he loves, “spending time with my family, friends, and church. I enjoy running, lifting weights. I just got into running during the pandemic. I used to do short distances, but nothing long. “
Bailey said he participated in his first half marathon in 2022 during the Mercedes Half Marathon event and his second one in 2023 with the group, Black Men Run.
Bailey is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Incorporated recently got his life membership, said Bailey.
Asked about his proudest accomplishments Kulture City was the first thing that came to mind, he said.
“Kulture City caters to individuals with sensory needs, individuals that are autistic … I played a part in helping to make sure all their clinics were sensory inclusive, so that putting up the signs, making sure that they had toys for the kids that might have sensory needs such as sensitivity to light and sound. “
He also told the BBJ he was proud to pivot at the beginning of “the pandemic into my first health care administration role. It was not the most ideal time to start a new career, but it was the perfect opportunity to learn and grow as a leader.”
And asked where he sees himself in 10 years he said, “as an influential leader that drives change within my organization and the community.”
