When you walk through the doors of North Caddo Medical Center (NCMC), you feel more than the hum of a hospital at work — you feel the heartbeat of a community that has rallied together, grown stronger, and built something remarkable over the past two decades. At the center of that story is David Jones, who this month celebrates 20 years of service as NCMC’s CEO.
In a time when rural hospitals across the United States often struggle to keep their doors open, North Caddo has not only endured but thrived. This is no small feat. Rural healthcare systems face some of the toughest financial and staffing challenges in the nation. Studies show that the average hospital CEO in the U.S. serves only 3–5 years. Against that backdrop, two decades of steady leadership is extraordinary — and for NCMC, it has been transformative.
One of the clearest signs of that transformation is the replacement facility for NCMC. It wasn’t built by leadership and medical providers alone. It was the community’s faith in their hospital — and their approval of a dedicated sales tax to help fund the project — that turned vision into reality. That trust says more than words ever could. The people of North Caddo Parish believed in their healthcare team and invested in a future they could all share.
David Jones often points back to partnerships with gratitude, crediting the people around him — staff, board members, and the community — for making bold steps like this possible. Dr. John Woods, Chief of Staff, reflected on Jones’ impact, saying, “For the past 20 years, David Jones has led North Caddo Medical Center with vision, courage, and compassion. His leadership has never been about micromanaging, but about empowering each of us to do our best work. With his open-door policy, David has made every staff member feel heard, valued, and respected. He has taken bold risks when needed, always with the goal of strengthening our hospital and improving the lives of those we serve. Because of his dedication, North Caddo Medical Center has grown into not only a place of healing for the community, but also a workplace where people are proud to belong. We, the staff, are deeply grateful for his steady guidance and for the positive impact his leadership has had on our hospital, our community, and our lives.”
Under Jones’ leadership, NCMC has steadily expanded services and access. What once was a single hospital has grown into a network of six rural health clinics which began in 2008 with the acquisition of their first, Vivian Medical & Surgical. The clinic located just outside their building was a rural health clinic owned by NCMC’s affiliate, Willis Knighton Health System. Since then, NCMC has taken ownership of two other clinics from WK and opened three additional practices in in the surrounding areas. These clinics ensure that patients across the region can find care close to home, welcoming everyone by accepting insurances, including Medicare and Medicaid. While their mission is to reach patients in need, the clinics also supports a business model that strengthens the services offered at their main location, the rural hospital.
Inside the hospital walls, services have multiplied. Departments have expanded, and new offerings — from mammography and MRI to physical therapy — now meet needs that once required patients to leave the area and travel up to 40 miles to the next facility. The addition of outpatient pharmacies and dental services further cements NCMC as a hub of comprehensive care.
Emergency response has also strengthened, with three ambulances and a transport truck serving the hospital’s service district. For families in crisis, that investment can mean the difference between waiting and receiving help when it’s needed most.
One of the hardest challenges rural hospitals faces is staffing. Recruiting physicians, nurses, and administrators to rural areas is a struggle nationwide. Yet NCMC has bucked that trend. Over the years, the hospital has become known as a desired place of employment. Medical staff numbers have grown, and the leadership team boasts long tenures among department heads — an uncommon stability in today’s healthcare landscape.
That culture of loyalty comes from the top. Jones has made it a priority not just to hire but to nurture and celebrate his team, recognizing their milestones and encouraging their personal and professional growth. He is quick to deflect praise, insisting, “It’s the team,” who makes the progress possible.
Perhaps what makes Jones’ leadership most unique is the way he weaves his faith into daily life at the hospital. What began during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic has become a defining tradition: every morning at 8:10 a.m., Jones gathers at the hospital doors with employees — and anyone else who wants to join — for prayer. Five years later, the practice continues, grounding the day in unity and gratitude.
This quiet but powerful ritual reflects who Jones is: a man dedicated to his faith, his family, his team, and his community.
Lanell Audirsch, who served as HR director and assistant to the administrator for many years, describes Jones in words that resonate with those who know him:
“There are so many good things to be said about David Jones. He is the epitome of the word visionary. Through his strategic thinking and optimistic belief in the ability to make positive changes, NCMC has become a great healthcare system and a vital source of health care for the community and surrounding areas. He doesn’t ever want to be given credit for all the great things that have taken place at NCMC during his 20 years as CEO — he always says ‘it’s the team’! He inspires the employees to achieve their goals in life. He thanks God for all things, is dedicated to his family, and dedicated to the success of NCMC.”
Two decades ago, few could have imagined the North Caddo Medical Center of today. Modern facilities, expanded services, a growing workforce, and a community that proudly calls the hospital its own — these are the fruits of leadership and a healthcare system of employees who love their mission, Exceptional Care for All.
David Jones’ 20 years at NCMC are not just a milestone of tenure; they are a testament to what is possible when vision, faith, and community come together. As the hospital looks to the future, it does so with a foundation that is stronger than ever — a foundation built not on one man’s achievements alone, but on the shared belief that rural healthcare can thrive.