Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1424600
27 WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP 27 CEO / STRATEGY Colorado health system staff want answers after 2 executives resign By Ayla Ellison C ortez, Colo.-based Southwest Health System staff are seeking an- swers aer the system's CEO and COO resigned, e Journal re- ported Sept. 27. During a Sept. 22 Southwest Health System board meeting, which about 40 people attended, staff raised concerns about hospi- tal management, including the recent departure of COO Kerri White-Singleton, MSN, RN. Kameo Smith, DO, a physician affiliated with the health system, said there is distrust toward hospital management and called for an investigation from hospital managers into staff concerns. "ere are still a lot of questions unanswered," Dr. Smith said, according to the report. e reason for Ms. White-Singleton's resignation was not provided, ac- cording to e Journal. Her departure came aer Tony Sudduth resigned as CEO in April. In a Sept. 28 statement to e Journal, Ms. White-Singleton said Southwest Health is an outstanding system. "If there was an opportunity in an exec- utive leadership role in the future, I would gladly serve again," she said, according to the report. Southwest Health operates Southwest Memorial Hospital and South- west Medical Group. It is managed by Community Hospital Consulting, the management and consulting arm of Plano, Texas-based Community Hospital Corp. Community Hospital Corp. has no plan to take over ownership of Southwest Memorial Hospital, Tod Beasley, senior vice president of hospital financial operations at Community Hospital Corp., told e Journal Sept. 22. n Here's how Edward- Elmhurst Health is encouraging boosters for the public By Gabrielle Masson E dward-Elmhurst (Ill.) Health published an Oct. 4 news release in an attempt to inform and encourage the general public to receive COVID-19 booster shots. The release, titled "Edward-Elmhurst Health system clears up confusion regarding COVID-19 vaccine booster shots," is meant to be used as "a handy guide/one-stop shopping for booster info," a sys- tem spokesperson told Becker's. The system wants to "promote the booster so our patients are well protected," Jonathan Pinsky, MD, an infectious disease specialist with Edward- Elmhurst Health who helped write the news release, told Becker's. The move is proactive, Dr. Pinsky said, noting that the most important thing is still for unvaccinated individuals to get vaccinated. However, the boost- er shot offers additional protection, improving the immune system's response. The news release is an effort to inform members of the general public who may be unaware of the benefits booster shots can provide. "We want as many vaccinated as possible," Dr. Pin- sky said. "And as many qualified to get a booster to receive them." n Bartlett Regional Hospital CEO resigns 6 months after taking on the top role By Lauren Jensik R ose Lawhorne, MSN, resigned from her role as CEO at Juneau, Alaska-based Bartlett Regional Hospital on Sept. 18. Less than one month later, an interim CEO was named. Ms. Lawhorne joined the hospital in 1993 and served in many roles thereafter. She was appointed CEO in March 2021. Before that, she served as chief nursing officer, according to a Sept. 18 news release. "During this time of transition, everyone at Bartlett remains dedicated to serving the community of Juneau with high qual- ity, patient-centered care," Board President Kenny Solomon-Gross said. The hospital's board of directors met in late September to discuss recruitment strategies for a permanent replacement, according to the news release. On Oct. 6, Jerel Humphrey was appointed interim CEO of Bartlett Regional Hospital. Mr. Humphrey has held numerous interim leadership roles throughout the country, most recently with a hospital in Pennsylvania. n