Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Erlanger is expanding system-level leadership responsibilities to further align operations across its seven-hospital health system, according to a March 2 news release shared with Becker’s.
The expanded structure spans clinical operations, finance and revenue cycle, payer relations, supply chain, human resources, information technology, legal, marketing and communications, nursing, patient and employee experience, quality, and strategy and innovation, according to the health system.
Under the structure, system clinical service line leaders will report to Adam Royer, senior vice president and COO of Chattanooga-based Erlanger Baroness Hospital. Their responsibilities include developing enterprise-wide clinical standards, identifying and scaling best practices, and supporting continuity across locations, a spokesperson told Becker’s.
System-level roles include:
Clinical operations
- Debbie Spielman, SVP, CEO of Women’s & Children’s
- Adam Schreader, SVP, CEO of East and North
- Tripp Stephens, SVP, facilities, engineering and contracted support services
- Adam Royer, SVP, COO, Baroness
- Traci Jennings, SVP, COO, Erlanger Medical Group
- Merrianne Kennedy, VP, diagnostic imaging
- Mark Arneson, VP, laboratory services
- Julia Friedman, VP, pharmacy services
- Terry Ellis, VP, respiratory services
- Gina Rhan, VP, physical therapy services
- SVP, CEO, Erlanger Medical Group (vacant)
Finance, revenue cycle and payer relations
- Chris Spady, SVP, revenue cycle
- James Mason, VP, payer relations and contract performance
- Jeff Loy, VP, supply chain management
- Adam Fall, VP, corporate medical director and revenue integrity
- Heather Penney, VP, controller
- Martin Gilbert, VP, financial planning and analytics
Human resources
- Layla Mollette, VP, total rewards
Information technology
- Cinnamon Mathews, SVP, chief information officer
Legal
- Jeff Woodard, EVP, chief legal officer
Marketing, communications and foundation
- Patrice Batchelor, SVP, chief marketing and communications officer
Nursing
- Cheryl Barrett, VP, case management
- Julia Brandt, VP, wound care/enterostomal therapy/HBO/VAT
Patient and employee experience
- Emilia Jones, VP
Quality
- Eileen Shrum, VP
Strategy, innovation and business development
- Mark Stafne, SVP
Facility leaders will continue overseeing day-to-day operations at their respective hospitals, with service line leaders accountable to facility CEOs for operational execution. No positions are being eliminated as part of the changes, the spokesperson said.
The leadership changes follow Erlanger’s transition to a private 501(c)(3) organization and come weeks after Fitch upgraded the system’s credit rating to “A” from “A-,” citing sustained operating improvement and strong liquidity.
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