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Judith M. Persichilli
President and CEO |
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May 2010
It was an offer that changed my life forever.
I am honored to assume my new role as president and chief executive officer of Catholic Health East. I have been blessed to have had several outstanding professional mentors throughout my careers as a nurse executive, hospital president, and health system leader…and the person who I thank the most for where I am today is Bob Stanek.
In 2003, then in my 9th year as president and chief executive officer of St. Francis Hospital in Trenton, New Jersey, I was recruited by Bob – who had just succeeded Dan Russell as CHE’s president – to become the executive vice president of CHE’s Mid-Atlantic Division. I had the opportunity to work side-by-side with Bob for the next seven years, and I couldn’t have asked for a more patient, understanding, and skilled mentor. Bob was a true servant leader; he focused his attention on the needs of our colleagues and those we serve. He skillfully worked with Sponsors and board members to help guide Catholic Health East through some very challenging times, and he proved to be an excellent steward of our ministry’s resources.
On May 1, Bob officially passed the leadership torch on to me. While he left enormous shoes to fill, I am confident that, with the support of leaders and colleagues throughout the system, we can advance and implement many of the key initiatives that have been set into motion under Bob’s watch. Our system-wide focus on clinical transformation, the provision of evidence-based care and the emphasis on person-centered health care are three major initiatives that had their beginnings thanks to Bob’s leadership; the successful implementation of these initiatives over the next few years are critically important to the success of our health ministry.
We are an organization that faces many complex challenges. Several of our RHCs are undergoing transformations that will bring their complement of programs and services more in line with the current and future needs of their communities. And all of our organizations face the pressures of increased competition, the uncertainty of health care reform, higher costs for technology and pharmaceuticals, and lower reimbursement rates from public and private insurers.
With these challenges, working in health care these days can often be an intense, high pressure experience. But it is also extremely rewarding and deeply satisfying to be able to devote our professional lives to such a noble cause. Every day, we all directly or indirectly touch thousands upon thousands of people in our communities…and make a difference in their lives. What a blessing to be a part of this healing ministry!
We all took different paths to where we are today, but it is no accident of fate that we are all part of the CHE family in this time, in this place. We’re here because we want to be here…because we are called to be here. We walk in the footsteps of women religious who were called to serve those who are poor and in need. These Sisters faced enormous hardships, some beginning their health care missions with little more than a few dollars and a pocketful of prayers. Looking back, what they accomplished is truly awe-inspiring. Thanks to their devotion and hard work, we now have a ministry with 54,000 colleagues who make a difference in the lives of millions of people in cities and towns and villages in eleven states from Maine to Florida.
I thank all of our Sponsors and women religious whose lifelong devotion to improving access to care for those who are poor and underserved serves as a daily inspiration to everyone in the Catholic Health East family. The courageous vision of our foundresses is as real today as it was when they first arrived in their communities many years ago to minister to those in need. Stirred by their legacies, we are committed to being a transforming, healing presence in the communities we serve.
Above all, I feel privileged…and humbled…to be here - in this time, in this place - serving with all of you. Together, I look forward to meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow, just as the brave women who came before us did in years past. Together, we will make those who came before us proud of their sacrifices and their unwavering commitment to improve access to care for those most in need. Together, we will draw strength from our unique gifts and experiences to forge a health care system that withstands the tough challenges of today…and envisions a bright, hopeful, and healthy tomorrow.
Together, we are so much more.
Sincerely yours,
Judith M. Persichilli
President and Chief Executive Officer,
Catholic Health East
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