Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital Gets New President
St. Louis’ Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital has announced Trish Lollo will be its new president, effective Aug. 15, 2016. She has served as vice president of oncology services, laboratories and radiology at the Siteman Cancer Center and has overseen operations at the Center for Advanced Medicine. The St. Louis Business Journal writes Lollo will be leading the revitalization of the hospital’s campus and ensuring the hospital is positioned for growth.
Judge Sides with Missouri Lawmaker Challenging ACA’s Contraception Mandate
U.S. District Judge Jean C. Hamilton ruled that Missouri lawmaker Paul Joseph Wieland and his family cannot be required under the Affordable Care Act to subscribe to a health plan that includes contraception coverage, according to Modern Healthcare. Wieland sued the government arguing that paying for or participating in a plan that includes the coverage violates the family’s Catholic religious beliefs. The government argued covering services the family will not use is not a significant burden on the family, and that insurers would not be able to function if they had to tailor each health plan to individual preferences. Douglas Laycock, law professor at the University of Virginia and expert on religious liberty law, says he believes the government will appeal the case.
Faith-based Health Systems Ask Supreme Court to Take Cases Over Pension Plans
Advocate Health Care and St. Peter’s Healthcare System in New Jersey are petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to take up their cases claiming their pension plans should be exempt from certain federal protections for workers under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The health systems have had dozens of lawsuits filed against them over this issue, including 22 in the past four months. They argue their nonprofit status makes the financial liability of the fully-funded, insured pension plans “crippling.” Opponents say they are dodging their responsibilities based on an exemption intended for churches, though they receive no money from a church and “don’t really provide more charity care than secular organizations.” The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Advocate in March, and the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against St. Peter’s in December, Modern Healthcare reports.
Sister Romaine Retirement from Holy Spirit Ends Era of Nuns Heading Hospitals
Sister Romaine Niemeyer is retiring as CAO (formerly titled CEO) of Holy Spirit Hospital, a role she has held since 1990. Her retirement marks the end of an era of nuns serving as hospital CEOs. According to Pennlive, hundreds of nuns held CEO positions at Catholic hospitals across the country in the early ‘70s when Niemeyer began at Holy Spirit. She holds a masters degree in hospital administration and has led the hospital through building a heart center and urgent care center, expanding the ER and beginning the process of becoming a Level II trauma center. It also maintains a commitment to mental health services.
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Appoints CFO
Ryan Willis has been named CFO of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, part of Adventist Health System. He has served as VP of Finance for Florida Hospitla Tampa and Florida Hospital at Connerton in Land O’ Lakes since 2014 and also served as controller for Florida Hospital Heartland Division prior to that. He replaces Bill Heinrich, who is now CFO of Florida Hospital Tampa, Becker’s Hospital Review reports.
