Banner Health announces systemwide organizational changes
PHOENIX (April 9, 2009) – Banner Health recently announced systemwide organizational changes to enhance clinical quality and operational focus. The steps are designed to transition Banner Health from a phase of significant and rapid growth to an innovation phase to achieve industry leadership. In order to accomplish this, Banner Health is changing its organizational structure to enhance clinical quality and operational focus, said Peter S. Fine, president and CEO of Banner Health.
“If we are to be successful in our innovation phase, we must move from being an organization that is primarily focused on the delivery of health care to an organization that is singularly devoted to attaining the highest levels of clinical quality,’’ Fine said. “When we achieve such levels of clinical quality on a consistent basis, we will be delivering the fullest measure of our nonprofit mission of providing excellent patient care.’’
Banner Health’s current senior vice president of Care Management and Quality John Hensing, MD, will become executive vice president and chief medical officer for the organization. Dr. Hensing will gather all of the elements that contribute to clinical quality into an efficient organization that is highly focused.
Joining Dr. Hensing in this effort will be Kathy Scott, RN, PhD, who has been appointed to the new position of system vice president of Clinical Delivery. Her former position of regional vice president, Clinical Services, has been eliminated.
Dr. Hensing and his entire team will be working to facilitate the integration of technology, clinical informatics and care delivery to expedite the rate of clinical improvement.
Fine also noted that Banner Health’s Arizona Region has grown rapidly in magnitude and complexity and to enhance operational focus, the nonprofit is splitting the region into two – Arizona East Region and Arizona West Region. Becky Kuhn will leave her position as CEO of Banner Del E. Webb to become president of the Arizona East Region. Kathy Bollinger will be leaving her post as CEO of Banner Estrella and will become president of the Arizona West Region. Following are the hospitals contained within these new regions:
Arizona East Region
- Banner Baywood Medical Center
- Banner Behavioral Health Hospital
- Banner Children’s Hospital at Banner Desert Medical Center
- Banner Desert Medical Center
- Banner Gateway Medical Center
- Banner Heart Hospital
- Banner Ironwood Medical Center
Arizona West Region
- Banner Boswell Medical Center
- Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center
- Banner Estrella Medical Center
- Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center
- Banner Thunderbird Medical Center
Related to these changes, Page Hospital in Page, Arizona, will now become part of Banner Health’s Western Region. “Page Hospital is a welcome addition to the Western Region, where it shares many similarities with our small community hospitals in California, Nevada, Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado,” said Western Region President Jim Ferando.
The new CEO of Banner Del E. Webb is John Harrington, who will transfer from his CEO role at Banner Heart Hospital. He will be replaced at Banner Heart by Laura Robertson, who is currently chief nursing officer at the hospital. The new CEO at Banner Estrella is Rob Gould, who is moving from his Banner Estrella position as associate administrator.
Arizona Region office executive staff members whose positions have changed include Jim Purdy, whose role as regional vice president, Operations, has been modified to become executive director of our cancer partnership efforts. Dan Weinman is moving from the position of chief financial officer, Arizona Region (this position has been eliminated) to become system vice president of Strategy and Planning. Don Maloney will remain in his role as regional vice president, Physician Resources in support of our new Region presidents. Tom Koelbl also will remain in his role as regional vice president of Human Resources, in support of our new Region presidents.
Jeff Buehrle will move from his position as vice president of Planning and Budgeting to serve as chief financial officer for Arizona East Region, and Greg Wojtal will transition from his role at Banner Boswell as chief financial officer to be chief financial officer for Arizona West Region.
“I am proud that these changes only involve existing, proven Banner leaders who are moving into these new positions,” Fine said. “I am confident that they will excel in their new roles. Further, these many important changes illustrate the strength of Banner’s talent management process.”
About Banner Health
Headquartered in Phoenix, Banner Health is one of the largest, nonprofit health care systems in the country. The system owns or manages 22 acute-care hospitals, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of other services including family clinics, home care and hospice services, and a nursing registry. Banner Health is in seven states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. To learn more about Banner Health, go to http://www.bannerhealth.com.
