Jo Ann Birdzell, BSN, RN, CEO of St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, Ind., will retire, effective July 4.
Here are six things to know about Ms. Birdzell.
1. She has led St. Catherine since 1997.
2. During her tenure at St. Catherine, she played a key role in helping to create the Community Healthcare System. She approached Donald Powers, then-board chairman of Community Hospital in Munster, Ind., about investing in St. Catherine and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, Ind.. He agreed, and Community Healthcare System was created.
3. Through Ms. Birdzell's leadership, St. Catherine also launched one of the first CyberKnife programs in the U.S. and worked closely with the Indiana Hospital Association to improve the fee schedule for Indiana's Medicaid system.
4. "It's been a great personal honor for me to serve and support all the teams that make St. Catherine Hospital a successful family," Ms. Birdzell said in a prepared statement. "We truly care about each other and take pride in achieving quality care for all our patients."
5. She plans to remain in the area, and spend her retirement time with family and friends.
6. Ms. Birdzell's successor will be announced in the near future.
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