COOPERATION IN MEDICAL FIELD IS THE KEY TO FUTURE SUCCESS

St. Francis Medical Center has chosen a new chief executive officer. This newspaper and residents of the region bid James Sexton welcome to the community.

He officially begins his duties Nov. 11, but the former head of two Catholic hospitals in Fond du Lac, Wis., met local officials and the media Monday. He seems enthusiastic and ready to roll up his sleeves to begin work.

Sexton plans to get his feet wet before making any changes to the organization. That probably comes as a relief to the little over 1,400 hospital employees.

He comes to a top-quality medical center and major employer in the community. St. Francis and Southeast Missouri Hospital are integral players in Cape Girardeau's role as a hub for medical services in Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois and parts of other bordering states. The hospital is in the midst of a major building project as well with construction of both a medical office building and parking garage.

We hope Sexton comes with both an open mind and lots of new ideas. It is imperative the medical community work together to better serve the public while keeping costs in line. That can be accomplished by increased cooperation and new ways of looking at current operations.

He replaces John Fidler, who led St. Francis for four year. A nationwide search produced hundreds of applicants, but the list eventually was narrowed to Sexton. He was the choice of both the board and the presidential selection committee, which included physicians, board members and employees.

Sexton brings more than 20 years of Catholic health-care experience to Cape Girardeau. Both his communication skills and ability to see what's coming down the road in health care impressed local hospital officials.

Sexton also comes from a competitive medical environment, in which two hospitals merged. His knowledge in this area could prove invaluable if discussions of this nature resume down the road.

The continued good health of St. Francis Medical Center is vital to the entire region. With government intervention and cost controls, the coming years in health care will be demanding. But by working together and smarter, Cape Girardeau's health care community will meet the challenges head-on.