Saint Francis adds new executive

The Saint Francis Healthcare System this week announced the addition of an executive vice president for its leadership team and the hiring of an Illinois Catholic hospital's CEO.

Maryann Reese, CEO of St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville, Illinois, since 2011, soon will become Saint Francis' executive vice president and chief operating officer -- a role new to the health system's management structure.

Reese will lead development of programs and services that strengthen patient-care services and quality throughout the health-care system, a news release from Saint Francis stated.

"Maryann will play a key role in positioning Saint Francis for continued success," Steven C. Bjelich, Saint Francis Healthcare System's president and CEO, stated in the release. "A veteran to the health-care industry, Maryann brings a diverse set of leadership skills, extensive operations expertise and a successful track record that we look forward to leveraging across the organization. Her leadership in both Catholic nonprofit and for-profit health-care organizations is essential as we move forward in the current national health-care environment."

A need for an additional leader became apparent with the health-care system's growth and challenges in the industry, stated a response Wednesday from the Saint Francis marketing department in response to a question from the Southeast Missourian.

A recent organizational restructuring for Saint Francis also is consistent with national benchmarks, the response stated.

The chief operating officer role, according to Saint Francis, "is critically important in leading efforts to improve efficiencies and quality" as health-care reforms continue and new economic models and reimbursements change.

Saint Francis Healthcare System this year has 11 outreach sites and partnerships and has quadrupled its physical space with improvements and new construction during the past 15 years.

The system also is the region's largest employer, with nearly 2,800 people employed and 200 doctors. During its expansion, the health system kept the same number of vice presidents on its leadership team until this year, when it added the role of vice president of quality and Reese's role.

Reese, as leader of St. Elizabeth's -- one of 14 facilities of the Hospital Sisters Health System -- oversaw planning for a $253 million replacement hospital, the Belleville News-Democrat newspaper reported Monday.

Reese also served in various leadership roles for the country's largest for-profit health system, the Hospital Corporation of America, a release from Saint Francis stated. She has an associate of science degree in nursing; bachelor's and master's degrees in health-care administration and a doctorate in health-care administration/management.

Saint Francis' leadership team is led by Bjelich as president and CEO and served by nine others with the recent addition of roles.

Tony Balsano is vice president of finance and chief finance officer; Marilyn K. Curtis is vice president of Building on Excellence; Dr. Thomas Diemer is vice president of quality/patient safety; Jeannie Fadler is vice president of patient care services; Alex Ogburn is vice president of ambulatory services; Gerry Salter is vice president of professional services; Dr. James A. Schell II is vice president of medical affairs; and Barbara W. Thompson is vice president of marketing and foundation.

Edward Duryee is the health system's chief information officer, and Teri Kreitzer serves as director of human resources; both positions are included in the leadership team. Saint Francis also is governed by a board of directors.

Curtis, who was functioning in the chief operating officer role as needed while serving as vice president of professional services, on July 1 transitioned from vice president of professional services to vice president of Building on Excellence, according to the marketing department.

In the new role, Curtis will oversee the health-care system's Building on Excellence project -- an expansion and renovation set to be completed in 2016.

Curtis will retire after its completion.

eragan@semissourian.com

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