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Public Relations / Marketing OfficerDavid Bruzzese For Immediate Release New Board Chair Begins Tenure at Mercy DURANGO, Colo.— On July 1, Jim Wanebo became the new chair of Mercy Regional Medical Center’s board of directors. He was elected to lead the hospital board for the next year as it continues to focus on operations and growth after relocating in June 2006. “The opening of the new hospital was a milestone, but the healthcare environment remains challenging. The board will continue to help ensure Mercy meets the needs of the communities we serve,” said Wanebo. “As part of our longer term view, we will look at patient expectations in terms of quality of care and cost effectiveness. Collaborating with our partners—physicians, employees, and others—will be the key,” he added. Wanebo replaces Joanne Spina, whose two-year term as board chair expired on June 30. Spina led the board during much of the construction of the new hospital and its relocation to Grandview in June 2006. Since the hospital’s relocation, the hospital has added and expanded several services, and clinical quality and patient satisfaction scores have climbed to unprecedented levels that rank Mercy, in certain areas, among the top hospitals in the country. “I think Joanne did a great job over the last two years and I plan to continue that momentum,” said Wanebo. Mercy’s board of directors last year formed a quality steering committee that also includes hospital staff and physicians. “The Board’s awareness of quality and patient satisfaction data has helped us identify areas that need improvement and we can leverage our experience and knowledge in helping identify strategies to improve,” said Wanebo. “The statistics show Mercy is performing quite well, but we want Mercy to exceed patient expectations, to be the best.” The board of directors provides strategic guidance and oversees the hospital’s administration, which manages day-to-day hospital operations. Prior to retirement, Wanebo, a Colorado native, spent 26 years in healthcare administration. He joined the Mercy Regional Medical Center board in 2004 and recently ended an eight-year tenure on the board of Mercy Health Foundation. He is also a board member of Caring for Colorado, a Denver-based non-profit foundation that, over the last six years, has given $36 million to healthcare-related projects in Colorado. Wanebo and his wife Dottie have lived in La Plata County for 12 years. The Mercy Regional Medical Center Board of Directors is comprised of community volunteers. Other board members include Vice Chair Susan Martinez; Secretary Robert Goodman, M.D.; Treasurer George Stahl; Donald Bader, M.D.; Sr. Sheila Devereux; Kirk Dignum, Ph.D.; Sr. Sharon Ford; David Goode; Joseph Murphy, M.D.; Mark Murphy, M.D.; Keith Newbold; Richard Risk; and Joanne Spina. # # # |
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