Charleston, S.C.-based Roper St. Francis eliminated the COO role, according to a report by The Post and Courier. Current COO Matt Severance — who is also CEO of Roper Hospital in Charleston — is leaving the organization, effective Sept. 30.
Roper St. Francis CEO Lorraine Lutton relayed the news to employees in an internal email, where she also notes the "decision to eliminate the COO role comes after careful consideration about streamlining the senior leadership team so we are more nimble and better able to respond to opportunities and challenges," according to the report.
Mr. Severance joined Roper St. Francis in 1990. From 2001 until 2004, he left the health system to serve as executive vice president and COO for Lawrence Hospital Center in Bronxville, N.Y. He then returned to Roper St. Francis and assumed the Roper Hospital CEO role. He is a past chairman of the South Carolina Hospital Association's board of trustees.