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Jacqueline DeSouza has been named chief executive officer of Research Medical Center in Kansas City. She assumed responsibility of the 490-bed facility earlier in February.
"Jackie is a skillful healthcare executive with a track record of working collaboratively and earning results in every key pillar area, including quality of care, people, patient experience, growth and finance,” says M.L. Lagarde III, HCA Midwest Health System President.
Jackie is a dynamic leader who's made a huge impact in her short time at Lee's Summit Medical Center. In her two years as CEO, the hospital earned multiple clinical quality honors, achieved high scores in employee engagement and patient satisfaction, increased surgical volume and patient admissions, and performed well financially.
"It has been my great honor to work with the staff and physicians at Lee’s Summit Medical Center in building a highly-regarded hospital that delivers excellent care. My first hospital CEO role was at this great community-based hospital and I’m so grateful," Jackie said.
Lee's Summit now ranks in the top quartile for patient satisfaction and in the top decile for employee engagement among the 163 HCA hospitals nationwide.
Jackie has been with HCA since 2000, where she started as an administrative resident of HCA HealthONE's Medical Center of Aurora.
She moved to Kansas City in 2003 after being named associate administrator to support the division president and chief financial officer in the Health Midwest acquisition and conversion to HCA.
In the fall of that year she was promoted to chief operating officer at Overland Park Regional Medical Center then joined Research Medical Center in 2006 as their COO.
In 2012, Jackie was named to Modern Healthcare's prestigious list of Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare and in 2013, she was recognized as one of the Kansas City Business Journal’s NextGen Leaders in its inaugural class.
"It is a privilege to work for Kansas City's largest healthcare provider and I plan to continue the exemplary foundation Kevin Hicks has established at Research Medical Center," she says. "I will work to strengthen the hospital's competitive advantages by elevating the highly-skilled medical staff and dedicated employees to continue to provide the best possible care to patients and the community."
"It is with great pride that we welcome the first woman and first person of color to Research Medical Center's top leadership position in its 127-year history in Kansas City," says Wesley Fields, Research Medical Center Chairman of the Board.
"Jackie is a highly effective and innovative leader who motivates employees and physicians to high patient care standards," says Jon Ellis, Lee's Summit Medical Center Board Chairman. "She is a collaborator and community partner, who serves on the board of several community organizations, and takes great pride in helping nonprofit organizations such as the American Heart for local causes."
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Services Administration from James Madison University and a Master of Health Administration degree from Medical College of Virginia Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University.
While a search is underway for Jackie's replacement at Lee's Summit Medical, the hospital's COO, Patrick Kueny, will act as interim CEO.
Congratulations, Jackie.
