Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio announces the untimely death of W. Scott Fry, President & CEO
W. Scott Fry, President & CEO of the Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio and its group purchasing affiliate, Northwest Ohio Shared Services Inc., died suddenly on Sunday, June 19, 2022. He was 76.
Mr. Fry became the President & CEO of both organizations in 1985. Under Mr. Fry’s leadership, the Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio established the Northwest Ohio Trauma Registry; a division to conduct community health assessments and facilitate community health improvement plans; the Northwest Ohio Pathways HUB regional care coordination system; a convening group for the Advance Care Planning Coalition; and other community health improvement programs.
During the COVID19 pandemic, Mr. Fry was instrumental in the 18-county region’s hospital preparedness and response. Mr. Fry collaborated with hospital leaders, elected officials, and community partners through the Northwest Ohio Healthcare Emergency Management
Coalition, which is coordinated by the Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio.
Most recently, Mr. Fry was facilitating a regional task force to examine ways to address health care workforce shortages. The task force initially was formed in response to nursing shortages but expanded to include other health care positions. Topics of discussion have included best practices for recruitment and retention.
“Our organization suffered a terrible loss with the sudden passing of W. Scott Fry,” said Jeffrey A. Dempsey, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio and Northwest Ohio Shared Services. “Scott’s dedication and unwavering commitment was felt and known through his work ethic to improve the health of our community at large.”
The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees will guide the Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio and Northwest Ohio Shared Services in continuing programs and services, and an executive search will be conducted. The Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio also provides administration and staffing for Toledo/ Lucas County Carenet, a nonprofit organization that provides a charity care network, care coordination, and assistance with enrolling in the federal Health Insurance Marketplace and Medicaid.
A native of Williamsport, Pa., Mr. Fry previously served as the Executive Director of New Rescue Crisis Services in Toledo and the Executive Director of the York County Mental Health Center in York, Pa. Mr. Fry held a bachelor’s degree in economics from Gettysburg College and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Missouri at Columbia. He did doctoral work in political science/public administration at the University of Missouri and New York University.
Mr. Fry was a member of and served on various committees for the American Hospital Association, the Ohio Hospital Association, and the Conference of Metropolitan Hospital
Associations. He also was a partner of the OHIO Alliance for Public Health, and local memberships included Rotary Club of Toledo, the Toledo Chamber of Commerce, and Brandywine Country Club.
Mr. Fry is survived by his wife, Barbara, and two children. Services are pending with Ansbergwest Funeral Directors.
About the Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio and Northwest Ohio Shared Services
The Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio (HCNO) is a regional hospital association that represents and advocates on behalf of its members while providing collaborative opportunities to improve community health. Northwest Ohio Shared Services (NOSS), which was separately incorporated in 1978, is the regional marketing arm for Vizient, a national group purchasing organization. For more information, please visit hcno.org