Mercy exec retires after 40-year health care career

Mercy executive Dr. David Barbe has retired after a health care career spanning four decades.

Barbe, a practicing physician in Mountain Grove who most recently served as regional physician executive for Mercy Southwest Missouri, retired Dec. 31, according to a news release.

“In his 20-plus years as a leader in Mercy, Dr. Barbe has inspired us with his unwavering commitment to our mission and patients,” said Dr. Brad Wyrsch, a colleague of Barbe who also has served as a Mercy executive, in the release. “He has carried the small-town values of integrity, compassion and loyalty into every boardroom, every leadership role and every conversation he’s had with peers locally and from around the world. His passion for medical education and dedication to improving rural medicine are simply unmatched.

"The legacy he has left will continue to inspire us all.”

Barbe's career accomplishments include serving as president of the American Medical Association and the World Medical Association. He launched his family medicine practice in 1983 and merged it into Mercy's network in 1997. The practice continues under the leadership of his son and two other doctors.

“We’ve had a significant impact on the health of this community,” Barbe said in the release. “Over the years, we‘ve gained the trust of our patients, and you must have that to make a difference. I’m very proud of the team we’ve assembled here, and we have great nurses and practitioners who will continue to care for this community. Plus, we have the support of Mercy’s continued investment in rural health care, which is truly invaluable.”

Beyond retirement, Barbe plans to work two days a week at the Missouri State University Care Clinic in Springfield.