7/20/2009

JHSMH Announces Transitional Management Firm and Chief Executive Officer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 20, 2009

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Jeff Polson
502-587-4230
jeff.polson@jhsmh.org

JHSMH ANNOUNCES TRANSITIONAL MANAGEMENT FIRM AND
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY (July 20, 2009) – The Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare Board of Trustees today announced that Wellspring Partners has been retained to provide transitional leadership services following the announcement of Robert Shircliff’s retirement as President and Chief Executive Officer.  Wellspring Partners provides interim management services to the healthcare industry. 

Janice James, a Managing Director of Wellspring Partners, will serve as Transitional Chief Executive Officer for JHSMH during the next several months.  Janice has more than 30 years of healthcare experience in both the provider and payer arenas.  With Wellspring she has filled senior executive positions for clients, as well as managed large, complex engagements across multiple hospital and medical group operations.  Prior to Wellspring, Janice worked for HCA, Ernst & Young and two faith-based organizations.  During her career, she has held senior line positions as CEO, COO and CFO in both hospital and health plan operations. 

“The Board was very impressed with the proven results Wellspring has achieved with other health systems,” said LouAnn Atlas, JHSMH Board Chair.  “As we considered firms and CEO candidates, it was very important that the Transitional CEO have a track record of working collaboratively with senior leadership teams.  Janice has a rich history of serving in similar capacities and I’m confident that she will be a dynamic leader that we need in this period of transition and change.”

Janice will work with Bob Shircliff to seamlessly transition his responsibilities and will be in place through the selection of a permanent CEO.  A national search is expected to begin in the fall and is anticipated to last several months.

“We have a firm foundation that we will build upon going forward,” Atlas stated.  “We are very proud of what has been accomplished over the last several years.  In a relatively short timeframe, we have merged two distinctly different cultures, expanded the number of locations to serve our community and built strong relationships with our physicians, that will benefit us as we work through this transition.”

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