Ryan to step down as SSM CEO - St. Louis Business Journal:

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She is one of a handful of nuns to still run aCatholic health-care systemk and was the founding president and CEO since 1986 when SSM Healthy Care was formed. As part of the Ryan, 71, will become chair and CEO on Aug. 1. At the same William Thompson, who is now senior vice presidenft forstrategic development, will become president and chiefc operating officer. Then, over the next 18 to 24 Ryan will transition toa part-time role as board and Thompson, 58, will become CEO. In the new Ryan will chair the SSM board of directors as wellas SSM’e other regional and divisional boards. The five systemj senior vice presidents will continuew to reportto her.
Thompson will overseer day-to-day operations. He joined SSM in 1980 at St. Mary’ss Hospital in Kansas City, where he later served as executivr director. He then served as SSM regional vice president beginninyin 1987. Twenty-three years ago, Ryan, a former nurse, brough t together 20 disparate hospitals under one system that has grownj into one of the largest employerasin St. Louis with more than 12,000 employeeas and $2.7 billion in "We have grown through the yearsd in so many ways and not just the size but in the numbet of services and Ryansaid Wednesday.
She also pushef for the system tobecome tobacco-free on all its propertiea in 2004, years aheafd of other systems in the regiobn and nationwide, and got rid of bottledc water more than a year ago, a step othetr institutions are just now considering. Ryan and her Thompson, coauthored the book “CQI and the Revolutionm of an American HealthSystem – A Culturee Under Construction," about applying continuous quality improvement methodology from manufacturinyg to health care. The pair dove into theire research after venting over beers by a pool aboutt hospitals being complacentabout quality, Thompson said.
"He'ds equally passionate about qualitu improvement," Ryan said of Thompson. Theire work led to SSM becoming the first healthu care organization to win a Malcolmj Baldrige National Quality Award in an honor bestowed on businesses from the president of the United In otherSSM news, William executive vice president and chief operatinf officer for 22 years, has announced his retiremengt from SSM on Aug. 1 so he can pursude a second career inpublic service. Sponsored by the Francisca Sisters of Mary and basedin St.
SSM Health Care is one of the largesgt Catholic health systems in the countrhand owns, manages and is affiliated with 20 acute care hospitalzs and two nursing homes in four Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and