Hospitals and health systems have a lot to consider as they make decisions to ensure long-term success and address today's industry challenges. Among those considerations are what their executive and leadership teams will look like.
Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to rightsizing these teams, and healthcare organizations must work in a way specific to their organization's needs, resources, structure and priorities. But among organizations, there are several being used.
Here are four:
Cutting positions
Becker's has reported at least 20 hospitals and health systems that have announced changes to leadership ranks and administration teams this year, including cutting roles.
One example is Lewes, Del.-based Beebe Healthcare, which eliminated the position of Executive Vice President and COO Rick Schaffner, RN, who had served in the role since 2015.
Another example is Habersham Medical Center in Demorest, Ga., which laid off four executives. The layoffs were part of cost-cutting measures before the hospital joined Gainesville-based Northeast Georgia Health System.
Combining roles
Mount Sinai South Nassau, a 455-bed teaching hospital in Oceanside, N.Y., promoted two healthcare administrators to additional roles. John Pohlman, the hospital's senior vice president and CFO,was selected for the additional role of COO. Ken Long, senior vice president for administration, was selected for the additional role of chief clinical integration officer.
Cary Medical Center in Caribou, Maine, combined the CFO and COO roles into one position.
Chelsea Reynolds Desrosiers assumed the new role Aug. 21. The promotion comes with the departure of COO Leslie Anderson. Ms. Desrosiers has served as CFO since 2018.
Bulking up C-suites
Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health is adding the role of chief external affairs officer as it expands its executive team. The role will be held by Erika Batcheller, who currently serves as vice president of media relations and corporate communications.
Sanford Health is also adding the role of chief technology officer. The health system will conduct an external search for the CTO, who will serve as its top technology architect, "setting the vision and direction for technology-driven innovation," according to president and CEO Bill Gassen.
Cleveland Clinic named Albert Marinez as its first chief analytics officer. Mr. Marinez began the new role Aug. 28 and is tasked with overseeing data strategies to better patient care, lower costs and boost growth.
Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham selected Erica Shenoy, MD, PhD, as its first chief of infection control. Earlier this year, she was also appointed to a federal committee to advise on the nation's infection control strategy.
Realigning leadership structures
SSM Health, a 23-hospital health system based in St. Louis, is among the latest organizations to take this approach. Specifically, it is rolling out a leadership structure that further integrates operations across seven regional hospitals in Wisconsin. The new structure includes two regional vice presidents for acute care and a regional vice president role on the ambulatory side.
In January, Jefferson announced a reorganization plan to operate as three divisions instead of five to flatten management and improve efficiency. The organization noted the change would result in layoffs, primarily among executives.