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Kirby Bates Associates

Led and operated by successful healthcare and nurse executives, Kirby Bates Associates drives organizations to achieve sustainable outcomes and advance organizations’ key initiatives through Executive Search, Interim Leadership and Executive Advisory Solutions. We have the firsthand clinical operations experience to recognize organizational challenges, understand their implications and present mission-margin, results-focused executive talent.

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Kirby Bates Associates leads healthcare organizations to achieve high-quality, cost-effective patient care through a comprehensive portfolio of proven leadership services. We build long-term relationships with diverse candidates and clients to understand their unique cultures and goals. Our team of successful healthcare and nurse leaders has a deep understanding of interprofessional relationships and the contemporary leadership practices necessary to align multiple stakeholders to improve the delivery of patient care and the lives of everyone we touch. These insights inform our clear understanding and ability to articulate challenges and develop tailored, inclusive leadership solutions focused on achieving our clients’ strategic priorities.

35+

35+ years of success helping organizations deliver high-quality, cost-effective patient care

78,000+

78,000+ healthcare leaders in proprietary database

3

3 leadership solutions service lines

92%

92% of clients return for multiple engagements 

30

30 days to first slate of candidates for executive search

<7

<7 days to presentation of qualified interim leaders


Offerings

Kirby Bates Associates leverages broad, diverse professional networks, our reputation for excellence, an extensive proprietary database and deep industry insights to advance interprofessional relationships and to move your organization’s unique agenda forward. We specialize in aligning multiple client stakeholders toward a common vision and creating inclusive and efficient processes.

  • Healthcare and nurse executive search
  • Interim leadership
  • Executive advisory solutions

Melissa A. Fitzpatrick, MSN, RN, FAAN

President, Kirby Bates Associates

“Every day at Kirby Bates Associates, we apply our national perspective on contemporary and inclusive leadership practices to help healthcare organizations advance their missions, overcome challenges and achieve their strategic goals one leader at a time.”

  • Headquarters

  • Alpharetta, Georgia

Testimonials

“The Kirby Bates team took a proactive approach to our CEO search by first aligning the many stakeholders on a shared vision for the competencies and qualifications needed in the new chief executive. Since the role required a unique combination of skills, Kirby Bates used creative approaches to identify a strong panel of candidates and worked hard to assure all stakeholder voices were heard in the selection process – all while keeping the search timeline on track. We are so happy with the expertise and professionalism that Kirby Bates brought to our organization.”

– Francine Miltenberger, Managing Principal, Fulcrum Point Advisors, LLC
university of maryland medical center logo

“I thought Kirby Bates Associates handled the whole process expertly. We were informed step by step in the process, and our candidate could not have been better suited for our culture.”

– Rose Labriola, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center
city of hope logo

“Thank you for presenting a great slate of candidates and finding just one more, who turned out to be the perfect fit! We appreciate everything Kirby Bates Associates has done.”

– Susan Brown, PhD, MSN, RN, Senior Vice President Patient Care Services, Chief Nursing Officer, City of Hope

“We engaged with Kirby Bates to fill a senior clinic leadership role during a particularly challenging job market. This was at the peak of the ‘great resignation’, during a time when healthcare was seeing tremendous turnover.

The Kirby Bates team developed a strong slate of candidates, was responsive to our search committee’s priorities, and was thoughtful about the unique characteristics of our academic and community partnerships. The search was a success.”

– Lisa Bachman, MAIR, SPHR, Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of Academic Clinical Affairs