Chris Powell has been named Freeman Health System’s Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer. He has worked in nearly every conceivable segment of the healthcare industry over the last three decades.

What brought him to Southwest Missouri was Freeman’s unique “independent fluidity.”

“I am excited to be supporting an independent healthcare system,” Powell said. “Freeman is in a unique position to provide incredible care to the people in their service area.”

A health system like Freeman possessing such independence, he added, is “very rare in 2025.”

Powell will oversee day-to-day operations to ensure Freeman runs efficiently and effectively. His responsibilities include managing various hospital departments and ensuring quality and patient satisfaction, among so many others. 

“My top priorities are learning what opportunities exist at Freeman that I can help support, and the successes that are currently going on that I can help to contribute to as well,” Powell said. “Great leadership in healthcare for me is showing up every day as a servant-leader to support [Freeman’s] teams, and most importantly the patients needing care in our system.”

Powell experienced a moment—a lesson, he calls it, of healthcare leadership—early in his career. It’s remained with him since.

“When I had been in healthcare leadership for about a year, my son was born and had a lot of health concerns. It took lots of visits, several scans, and a few procedures to get him where he needed to be,” he said. “I never forgot the fear of being helpless to support your infant, and all the faith and hope you are putting into the caregivers to provide perfect care for your child. This memory has guided me to show up every day to remove barriers, support initiatives, and do everything strategically possible to improve access and enhance the care we provide to our patients.”

Powell began his career in the healthcare laundry industry, overseeing a South Carolina-based plant with Hospital Services, Inc., before moving into a leadership role there, serving as Director of Engineering, EVS, Supply, Food, Transport, and Receiving. He’s spent the last 15 years with Prisma Health, South Carolina’s largest private, nonprofit healthcare system, serving as the company’s COO from late 2021 before moving last month to Southwest Missouri. 

Powell received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, his Master of Science in Health Care Administration degree at Saint Joseph University, and his Doctorate of Education degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

A proud Kansas Jayhawks fan, Powell hopes to contribute to Freeman’s mission and culture by bringing outside system knowledge of the latest innovations and best practices adopted by healthcare systems dotting the nation.

“Freeman has incredible potential,” he said, “and I hope to contribute each day to pushing Freeman to a top decile facility in engagement, quality, community partnerships, and financial viability.

“I am excited to be at Freeman and am eagerly looking forward to establishing roots here and being active in the community in addition to my role at the hospital,” Powell continued. “Anywhere greater Joplin needs assistance my family and I will be eager to be an active part of the community.”