Friendship Health in Roanoke appoints operations director

Friendship Health & Living Communities, a Roanoke-based company that provides senior living and rehabilitation facilities, has appointed Ben Higgins as director of healthcare operations.

Higgins will oversee the operations for Friendship’s skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, home care services and adult day care facility. He also will direct operations for Friendship’s partner facility, Salem Terrace at Harrogate, which provides independent living, assisted living and memory care accommodations.

Higgins is a graduate of James Madison University with a bachelor of science degree in health services administration. According to Friendship, he has years of experience in long-term care administration on a local and regional level.

Before joining Friendship, he served as administrator of Brandon Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Roanoke and as administrator of Liberty Ridge Health and Rehabilitation Center in Lynchburg. He also served as regional vice resident of operations at Roanoke-based American HealthCare LLC.

Higgins is active in with several industry leadership organizations, including the Virginia Health Care Association and the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards. He also was one of 38 long-term care professionals from across the country selected to participate in the American Health Care Association’s Future Leaders program in 2016/2017.