A New Era Begins Daniel Moen Named President and CEO of SPHS

Following a nationwide search by its board of trustees, the Sisters of Providence Health System has tapped Daniel Moen, president and CEO of Heywood Hospital in Gardner, Mass., as its new president and CEO.

“I am honored to be selected for this important role,” said Moen. “It will be a privilege to serve the Sisters of Providence Health System, Catholic Health East, and the Western Mass. community.”

Moen, who will assume his new position in January 2011, will succeed Dr. William Bithoney, chief medical officer of SPHS and chief operating officer of Mercy Medical Center, who has been serving in an interim capacity since the prior CEO, Vincent McCorkle, left the organization in June 2010 to lead the Akron General Health System in Ohio.

“Daniel Moen is a well-respected, pragmatic health care leader with many years of experience managing complex hospital operations,” said Dr. David Chadbourne, board chair of SPHS. “He is an excellent choice to lead the Sisters of Providence Health System. We are confident his talents will not only help sustain our rich legacy of providing high-quality and compassionate care, but will also help us reach new levels of service to our community.”

Moen brings more than 28 years of senior leadership experience in health care in Massachusetts; for 23 of these years he has served as a CEO. Since 1990, he has served as president and CEO of Heywood Hospital, a 125-bed, full-service community hospital.

Under Moen’s leadership, the Gardner hospital has added key inpatient and outpatient services, initiated a major capital expansion project, and built outstanding relations with its community. Prior to joining Heywood, Moen served for 10 years in progressively responsible leadership positions with Holden Hospital in Holden, Mass., including two years as its president and CEO.

Moen earned a master’s degree in Health Administration from Clark University and UMass Medical School, a bachelor’s degree in Management from Worcester State College, and an associate’s degree in Radiologic Technology from Quinsigamond Community College, all in Worcester. He is also a past chair (2006-07) of the Mass. Hospital Assoc., helping to lead that organization in the midst of the state’s implementation of groundbreaking health care reform legislation.

McCorkle served as president and CEO for SPHS since October 1997. Prior to being named to those positions, he served from 1996 to 1997 as executive vice resident of SPHS. He joined the system in September 1993 as president and CEO of the Acute and Ambulatory Care Network, the position he held until 1996.

“The decision to leave the Sisters of Providence Health System was incredibly difficult,” McCorkle said earlier this year in announcing his retirement. “It has been a privilege and an honor to have served the community through the healing ministry of the Sisters of Providence Health System. It has also been my privilege to serve with a team of the most talented and dedicated physicians, nurses, other professionals, and support staff that you will find anywhere in health care.

“Although my professional journey leads me to new challenges at Akron General,” he continued, “I am grateful for the time with SPHS and the Greater Springfield community. I will truly miss my SPHS colleagues and the many Western Mass. community and business leaders I have had the pleasure of working with.”

Under McCorkle’s leadership, SPHS has been in an innovator in some ways, such as the recent formation of what the system calls a ’micro accountable care organization’ (ACO) designed to improve care and reduce costs, improve the management of chronic disease, reduce hospital admission and readmissions, and make health care providers more accountable. Meanwhile, the hospital’s quality and safety scores consistently rank among the state’s highest.

Chadbourne praised McCorkle for his work with the system and in the community.

“Vince has provided the Sisters of Providence Health System with 17 years of dedicated and committed service and visionary leadership,” he said. “He guided SPHS through some challenging financial times and led several innovative initiatives that have resulted in the expansion of SPHS’s programs and services. He has left an indelible mark on an organization that, thanks in large part to his hard work, is well-poised to continue the healing legacy of the Sisters of Providence well into the future.”

Next month, the next phase in that future begins when Moen arrives on campus.

“We are pleased to have Daniel Moen join Sisters of Providence Health System,” said Judith Persichilli, president and CEO of Catholic Health East, of which SPHS is a member. “Dan has extensive experience in the Massachusetts heath care environment, an impressive track record of high performance in challenging times, and a strong commitment to the mission and core values of Sisters of Providence Health System and Catholic Health East.

“We look forward to Dan’s contributions,” she continued. “We are convinced that he will prove to be an important asset to our entire health care ministry.”