CORNING – Joan Neuhaus, senior vice president of CHI Health Support Services, recently announced that Deb Goldsmith became president of regional operations for CHI Health. For the past year, Goldsmith has overseen the operations of CHI Health’s owned critical-access hospitals (CAH), while maintaining her role as president of CHI Health Mercy Hospital in Corning. Neuhaus shared that Goldsmith has done an excellent job, working with the CAH presidents, to expand access and maintain CAH profitability throughout the region.
In her new role, Goldsmith will have oversight responsibility for CHI Health wholly owned hospitals CHI Health Missouri Valley Hospital in Missouri Valley, CHI Health Schuyler Hospital in Schuyler, Nebraska, CHI Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Nebraska City, Nebraska, CHI Health Mercy Hospital in Corning, CHI Health Plainview Hospital in Plainview, Nebraska, and CHI Health managed hospitals Memorial Community Hospital and Health System in Blair, Nebraska, Thayer County Health System in Hebron, Nebraska, and Pawnee County Memorial Hospital in Pawnee City, Nebraska.
In addition to hospital oversight, all operations to support CHI Health’s critical-access-hospital networks will also fall under Goldsmith. This will include work in the areas of credentialing, peer review, quality and operational support for our CAH network.
One of Goldsmith’s first decisions was the selection of a new president for CHI Health Mercy in Corning. Goldsmith recently announced the appointment of Lisa Wolfe to the position of president for Mercy Hospital Corning and Clinics with administrative duties that began Jan. 1.
“We are pleased that Lisa Wolfe accepted this leadership role,” Goldsmith said. “Lisa has been a strong team member at the management level and advocate for Mercy Corning. As president, she brings a wealth of knowledge from her hands-on health-care experience and former leadership responsibilities.”
Lisa (Kannas) Wolfe has worked for CHI Health Mercy Corning 13 years starting in education and clinical support services and serving as operations director for ancillary services for the past eight years. Wolfe was a graduate of Corning High School and received her registered associate degree in nursing from Southwestern Community College, her Bachelor of Science degree from University of Phoenix and currently is working towards a Master’s Degree in health care administration. She is married to John Wolfe of Creston, and together they have two sons, Jacob and Jay.
“I am honored to have been selected to fill the role as president. When I returned to my hometown to work 13 years ago, I knew I was making a good choice to support the health care of this community. One of my first duties was as the health career instructor for Corning High School. It’s rewarding to see those students now have active health careers and making a difference for others,” said Wolfe. “It’s that type of future I see for our hospital: to make a difference for our community and for people’s health. The business of health care is changing rapidly, but one constant for Mercy Corning is the compassion, quality and dedication of service to those who come to us for health care. I’m excited to lead the hospital and clinics on the journey to remain a strong, viable asset of our area.”
CHI Health Mercy Corning is part of the CHI Health regional health network stretching across Nebraska and southwest Iowa. They serve patients and communities through 15 hospitals, two stand-alone behavioral-health facilities and more than 150 employed physician practice locations. The system includes 2,820 licensed beds and serves as the primary teaching partner of Creighton University’s health sciences schools. In fiscal year 2013, the organization provided a combined $130.7 million in quantified community benefit including services for the poor, free clinics, education and research.
“Mercy Corning is a key player in CHI Health’s ongoing mission to provide quality health service to the residents of southwest Iowa and southeast Nebraska regions. It is a win-win partnership to have this hospital in our network and to work together to keep health care services where they need to be, close to those who need them,” Goldsmith said. “I have every confidence in Wolfe’s ability to continue in providing the leadership to strengthen Mercy Corning abilities to meet that need.”