Pamela Delagardelle became the first woman to be president and CEO of Allen Health System in Waterloo, Iowa, on Jan. 1, 2013. Allen Health System is a part of Des Moines-based Iowa Health System.
Even though she just recently took the reins at Allen Health System, Ms. Delagardelle is no stranger to Iowa Health S
ystem. She served as CEO of Grundy County Memorial Hospital, an Iowa Health affiliate in Grundy Center, prior to her current position. She has also served as the clinical adoption executive for Iowa Health System's Epic computerized order entry conversion.
While Ms. Delagardelle was at the helm of Grundy County Memorial, the hospital's buildings and staff grew. Grundy County Memorial completed a $6 million outpatient expansion and opened an inpatient facility and medical office. Additionally, Ms. Delagardelle recruited 117 physicians to the hospital and increased its workforce from 90 to 220.
Ms. Delagardelle got right down to business in her first two months leading Allen Health System. Early in February, she oversaw a partnership between Cedar Valley Medical Specialists in Waterloo and La Crosse, Wis.-based Gundersen Lutheran Health System that will enhance cardiac services at Allen Hospital in Waterloo. "This partnership fits our focus on continuous improvement," Ms. Delagardelle said in a news release. "It combines the strengths of all three organizations to give Cedar Valley patients cardiac care options that none of us could provide alone."
Ms. Delagardelle has been recognized for her personal success in healthcare. In 2008, she received the Iowa Hospital Association Excellence in Leadership Award, awarded every year to one Iowa hospital administrator for commitment, dedication and inspirational leadership. More recently, she received the 2012 Mount Mercy University Distinguished Service Award for service to the community.
Ms. Delagardelle earned a master's degree in nursing administration from the University of Iowa in Iowa City and is a registered nurse.
If you have additional information or updates for this profile, or would like to recommend a leader to be profiled in the future, please contact Lindsey Dunn, editor in chief, Becker's Hospital Review at ldunn@beckershealthcare.com.
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