Mark Dixon, president and CEO of Community Hospitals of Indianapolis, recently became a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the nation's leading professional society for health care leaders. Dixon is privileged to use the FACHE credential, which signifies board certification in health care management and ACHE Fellow status.

"Because health care management ultimately affects the people in our communities, it is critically important to have a standard of excellence promoted by a professional organization," says Thomas C. Dolan, Ph.D., president and CEO of ACHE. "By becoming an ACHE Fellow and simultaneously earning board certification from ACHE, health care leaders can show that they are committed to providing high-quality service to their patients and community."

Fellow status represents achievement of the highest standard of professional development. In fact, only 7,500 health care executives hold this distinction.

To obtain Fellow status, candidates must fulfill multiple requirements, including passing a comprehensive examination, meeting academic and experiential criteria, earning continuing education credits and demonstrating professional/community involvement. Fellows are also committed to ongoing professional development and undergo recertification every three years.

"I'm thrilled to be recognized as Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives," Dixon says. "This is such an amazing honor and I am so pleased to be able to serve our patients and our organization at Community Health Network."

ACHE is an international professional society of more than 30,000 health care executives who are leaders in a variety of health care settings.