Ben Spence, MHA
Chief Financial and Business Services Officer
Ben Spence serves as Lee Health’s Chief Financial and Business Services Officer and is a senior executive team member. He joined Lee Health in 1995 and has served in many key roles during the course of his health care finance career.
Leadership Responsibilities
Ben’s responsibilities include the oversight and guidance of all system financial functions and corresponding financial performance, as well as the development and execution of long- and short-term financial plans to provide the resources needed to achieve the health system’s strategic initiatives, vision and mission.
Ben’s areas of responsibility include financial services, facilities management, information technology services, supply chain management, analytics and revenue cycle management. Ben collaborates with the organization’s leaders, medical staff, employees, and patient community in a variety of activities dedicated to ensuring the long-term financial viability of the health system while improving the health outcomes, care coordination and experience of the population served by Lee Health at the lowest possible cost.
Professional Experience
Ben has more than 27 years of extensive experience in health care finance, serving on the Lee Health financial management team for the past 22 years. He started as a reimbursement clerk in the financial services department in 1995 and since 2000 has occupied various management roles, including system director of reimbursement, controller and CFO for the health system’s Federally Qualified Health Clinic Look-Alike clinics. He was promoted to system CFO in 2014 and expanded his role in 2016 to Chief Financial & Business Services Officer, taking on additional corporate responsibilities for several system business functions.
Ben has guided initiatives and programs that have led to consistently strong financial results that enabled Lee Health to improve its S&P credit rating to A+ and grow its positive cash flow to over $300 million per year. He provides leadership and structure to the system's strategic growth capital plan that has led to greater access to high-quality care and over $ 2.7 billion in annual operating revenues. He continuously seeks to improve system performance and leads the path forward to long-term financial viability through revenue optimization strategies, the development of value-based care payer models, digital strategies and the use of artificial intelligence. He has led operational efficiencies improving access to primary and specialty care, direct-to-employer health plan strategies to provide more affordable health care, new business ventures, expansion into specialty pharmacy, strategic partnerships, residency programs, real estate strategies and many other health system initiatives.
Education
Ben is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, in 1992 with a dual major in finance and real estate, and urban analysis.
Ben completed his graduate studies in 2010 at Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, where he earned his Master of Science in Health Science with a concentration in health services administration.
Memberships/Community Involvement
Ben is an active member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) and serves as a Member at Large on the Horizon Council. He serves on several Boards, including Best Care Collaborative, LLC, Community Healthcare Innovations, LLC, LeeSar and Cooperative Services of Florida.