CHRISTUS Health System Names New Chief Operating Officer
Texas-based CHRISTUS Health System has named Jeff Puckett its new Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He has been serving in the role of EVP of Strategic Alliance and Group Operations for the system and assumes the new role immediately. Puckett has more than 25 years of experience working with the international Catholic health system. CHRISTUS also promoted Paul Generale and Marty Margetts to EVP of Ambulatory, Population Health Services and Strategic Alliance and EVP of Corporate Services and Chief Human Resources Officer positions, respectively, according to the system’s website.
Methodist Hospitals Considers Partnerships
Indiana’s Methodist Hospitals is considering a merger with another health system according to CEO Ray Grady, who cited health care reform as a main reason for the exploration. He notes the increased need for access to care while still minimizing costs, which he says is difficult to maintain independently. Grady says Methodist is “operating from a place of strength” financially and has been approached by several organizations about potential partnerships, the NWI Times reports.
Mercy Health Shifts Leadership for East Side Hospital
Mercy Health’s Anderson Hospital in Ohio has handed the reigns to Kathi Edrington for its clinical nursing at Clermont Hospital in Batvia Township. Previously Gayle Heintzelman, filled the role of both site administrator and chief nursing officer of the hospital. Jeff Graham, president of Mercy Health-Cincinnati’s east market will be handling interim site administration duties. Clermont Hospital, the 17th largest hospital in the Greater Cincinnati area, serves the community with more than 700 employees. According to Cincinnati Business Courier, Edrington will lead nursing at Clermont in addition to her existing responsibilities as administrator and chief nursing officer of Mercy Health’s Anderson Hospital.
Baptist Health Names First Female Hospital President
Baptist Health of Jacksonville, Fla. has named its first female president, Nicole Thomas. She joined the organization in 2011 as vice president of operations and specialty services and was promoted to senior vice president of specialty services with an oversight of neurosciences, orthopedics and oncology in 2014, according to Becker’s Hospital Review. She most recently had primary executive responsibility for Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Thomas replaces Ron Robinson, who is retiring.
CHI Hospital CEO in Ohio to Retire
The CEO of Trinity Health System in Ohio, Fred Brower, is retiring in September after serving at the organization for nearly 40 years and as president since 1996. He joined as an assistant administrator in 1976. WTOV reports an interim CEO will be named soon. Brower led Trinity Health into its position as an integrated community health delivery system with a variety of health and wellness services, including a comprehensive cancer center, a cardiac program with open-heart surgery, and the YMCA Wellness Center at St. John Arena. It includes three hospitals and a network of more than 230 physicians. In November 2014 Trinity became an affiliate of Catholic Health Initiatives.
