Kyle Buchanan named president of Crestwood Medical Center
Kyle Buchanan
HUNTSVILLE – Crestwood Medical Center and Huntsville Hospital Health System announced today that Kyle Buchanan, current president of Helen Keller Hospital and Red Bay Hospital, has been named president of Crestwood Medical Center.
Buchanan is a Tuscumbia native and a proven, community-focused leader with more than 20 years of experience delivering strong results across operations, patient care, and workforce engagement. In his current role, he has strengthened overall hospital performance, including significant gains in physician engagement and stability, including several new physician partnerships.
“Kyle is the right leader to support the excellent team at Crestwood,” said HH Health CEO Jeff Samz. “It was important to us to find someone with deep roots in North Alabama and a genuine commitment to this community. Kyle brings that, along with a strong track record of supporting caregivers and advancing high-quality care. He will build on the great work already happening at Crestwood and help strengthen its future as part of our nonprofit health system.”
Buchanan will report to Tracy Doughty, HH Health executive vice president of Madison County operations, and will work closely with the Crestwood Board and senior leadership team to support team members, expand access to care, and more fully utilize the capacity of Crestwood Medical Center.
“I’m excited about the leadership and energy Kyle will bring to Crestwood,” Doughty said. “He is a true servant leader who understands that strong patient care starts with strong teams. His focus on people, culture and performance will support Crestwood’s continued success and reinforce its role as a trusted community hospital.”
Buchanan succeeds Justin Serrano, who accepted a new leadership role with Community Health Systems in Naples, Florida. The remainder of Crestwood’s senior leadership team will remain in place.
“Crestwood has a longstanding reputation for caring for this community, and I’m honored to be part of that,” Buchanan said. “I know this has been a time of change, and I want our patients and team members to feel confident in what comes next. Crestwood remains Crestwood — your physicians, your care teams and the experience you trust are not changing. We will build on that strong foundation and continue investing in our people and services to best serve this incredible community.”
Prior to serving the Shoals community, Buchanan led Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, Alabama Community Care and Lawrence Medical Center. He is committed to the communities he serves, with leadership roles at both the local and state level, including Leadership Alabama, the University of North Alabama Board of Trustees and the Shoals Chamber of Commerce. His impact has been recognized with Citizen of the Year honors from both the North Alabama African Heritage Festival and the Sheffield Kiwanis Club. He is also active in his church, where he serves as a Sunday school teacher and deacon board vice-chairman at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Alabama and master’s degrees in Health Services Administration and Business Administration from the University of Michigan and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, respectively.
Buchanan’s first day at Crestwood will be Monday, April 20.
As Buchanan transitions to Crestwood, leadership in the Shoals will continue without interruption and remain in experienced hands. Sherry Sands will step in as interim president for Helen Keller and Red Bay Hospitals. Sands joined the hospitals’ leadership team in March 2020 as vice president of patient services and chief nursing officer, and brings 25 years of nursing and leadership experience. She previously served as CNO of Southern Tennessee Regional Health System in Pulaski, Tenn.
