____________________________________________________________________________________________ Joerns Healthcare
immediately.“ I realized the‘ jungle gym’ I had played on as a child was actually a Hoyer ® lift. I understood what it could do for families caring for loved ones with chronic illness.”
During the interview process, Doug spent time with then CEO Mark Ludwig. Their discussion wasn’ t about market share, products, or financial performance. It centered on the people Joerns serves.“ All he talked about was how Joerns specifically exists to help chronically ill patients and their families. That resonated with me. We’ re a purposeled company working to ensure people with complex and chronic care needs receive the highest quality and dignity of care possible.”
By the time Doug became President and CEO in 2025, he was already deeply involved in defining the company’ s direction.“ As Chief Strategy Officer, one of my responsibilities was shaping the vision for Joerns. When I transitioned to CEO, I went from shaping that vision to owning it.” That transition also meant confronting a healthcare environment that looked very different from the one he entered 17 years earlier. Long-term care providers were caring for an increasingly larger patient population while facing workforce shortages, reimbursement pressures, and rising expectations from patients and families. Those realities now shape how Doug thinks about both strategy and innovation.
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