MED MOVES: Allina Health names president of two hospitals, and more

Jill Ostrem has been named the new president of United Hospital in St. Paul and Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, Allina Health announced.

Jill Ostrem

She had been vice president of operations at United Hospital.

Lisa Shannon, president and CEO of Allina Health, said in a statement Ostrem is “a skilled leader with a proven track record of developing high-performing teams that ensure sustained levels of success in complex hospital environments.”

“Her experience and ability to focus on our teams, combined with her knowledge of Allina Health’s long-term focus on Whole Person Care make Jill an ideal leader to ensure Mercy and United hospitals continue to serve their communities with outstanding, compassionate care."

Ostrem possesses more than 25 years of experience in healthcare. She has held leadership roles including serving as senior vice president of hospital operations for Jefferson Health, New Jersey and as senior vice president of health and well-being at Parkview Health in Indiana.

In a statement, Ostrem said she is “honored to lead the incredible, dedicated teams at Mercy and United hospitals.

“Throughout my career I have prioritized working collaboratively to engage teams in our mission and achieve performance goals to provide a best-in-class care experience for the communities we serve. I look forward to building on the strong leadership at both hospitals and throughout the Allina Health system, and I am excited to continue our commitment to transform and improve the healthcare experience for our patients, staff and communities.”

Allina Health operates 11 hospitals serving patients in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Mary K.E. Maples

University Hospital in NJ chooses interim CEO

Mary K.E. Maples has been named the interim president and CEO of University Hospital in Newark, NJ.

She will assume the role upon the departure of Shereef Elnahal, the current president and CEO. Elnahal has recently been nominated to serve as undersecretary for health for the Veterans Health Administration.

Maples has been serving as University Hospital’s chief legal officer and corporate secretary since 2018. She previously worked as deputy chief counsel for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, and senior counsel for former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Before her tenure at University Hospital, Maples served the federal government for more than 11 years in the Central Intelligence Agency. There, she specialized in security matters before joining the Office of General Counsel.

Maples said the hospital is on an upward trajectory and said she is “very excited and deeply honored to have the opportunity to lead this organization.

"The Board’s vision for this hospital, fueled by the strength and energy of my colleagues, has set the institution on a path to become a world-class academic health medical center,” she said in a statement. “I am delighted to continue working with the leadership team, and our entire Hospital family, to build on our success and see the institution live more deeply into our mission, vision and values."

Willie Payton

HCA Healthcare hospital in Va. selects new COO

Willie Payton Jr. has been named chief operating officer of the LewisGale Medical Center.

The 506-bed medical and surgical facility is  part of the HCA Virginia Health System, an affiliate of HCA Healthcare. Before joining LewisGale Medical Center, Payton served as vice president of operations at Johnston-Willis Hospital in Richmond, Va. He has operated services such as emergency preparedness, security, safety and patient transportation.

He also held a number of administrative positions with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs over a decade.

Lance Jones, LewisGale Regional Health System CEO and market president, hailed Payton’s appointment.

“We are excited to welcome Willie to our executive team and leverage his experience managing multiple interdisciplinary teams,” Jones said in a statement.

Benjamin Miles

Michigan hospital names new president

Benjamin S. Miles has been named president of St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea in Michigan.

His first day as president will be April 18. He will succeed Nancy Graebner-Sundling, who retired earlier this month. The non-profit hospital is a joint venture of Trinity Health and Michigan Medicine, the academic medical center of the University of Michigan.

Shannon Striebich, senior vice president of operations at Trinity Health Michigan, described Miles as “a results-oriented health care leader, bringing expertise in strategy, operations, process improvement, project management and finance.”

In a statement, Striebich said, “He is an articulate, effective communicator able to clearly translate complex concepts, which will help to strengthen understanding and alignment throughout our Chelsea hospital.  We are grateful to Nancy for her dynamic, caring leadership over the past 10 years and we wish Ben great success in his new role.”

Miles served as the president – health plan services and chief advocacy officer at Parkview Health in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Miles was credited with expanding the system’s market share.

Amy VanBlaricom

Ob Hospitalist hires first chief clinical officer

Amy VanBlaricom has been named the first chief clinical officer of Ob Hospitalist Group.

The organization, based in Greenville, S.C., provides customized obstetric hospitalist programs.

Dr. VanBlaricom joined the company’s clinical leadership team in 2016 as a medical director of operations and was later promoted to vice president, clinical operations in 2020 before getting her new role.

She previously spent nine years teaching at the University of Washington in Seattle, where she was medical director of the gynecology clinic and the associate residency program director.

In a statement, Lenny Castiglione, CEO of Ob Hospitalist Group, described VanBlaricom as “an experienced clinical leader, committed to supporting our clinician team and improving the quality and availability of obstetric care to expectant mothers.”

“We look forward to her leadership in consistently focusing on our clinicians and the patients that we are so fortunate to serve,” he said.

Chris Klay

Illinois hospital gets new president

Chris Klay has been named as president and CEO of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon, Ill., part of the Hospital Sisters Health System.

He will begin his new role on May 1, 2022.

Klay currently serves as president and CEO of HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Breese, Ill. He’s been part of the HSHS system since 2009.

At St. Joseph’s Hospital, Klay increased patient revenue, expanded telehealth services, and led the development of a new outpatient surgery center and a surgery clinic, the HSHS system said.

“I am honored for the opportunity to join the dedicated colleagues, medical staff members, and volunteers of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in their successful work and look  forward to serving the metro east community,” Klay said in a statement.

The HSHS system operates 15 hospitals in Illinois and Wisconsin.