New CEO Promoted at St. Edward Mercy

After serving three years as COO, Dr. John Hoffman recently stepped into the position of president and CEO of St. Edward Mercy Health Network. Hoffman said he didn’t plan to stray from the course set by his predecessor, Michael Morgan.

“We want to build on what has been started,” Hoffman said, adding that he intended to follow the three-year business strategy that was planned before he was promoted.

Before working with the network’s administration, Hoffman was a gynecologist in Fort Smith for about 20 years. He said his experience as a staff member and administrator would help him understand the different aspects of serving as CEO.

A replacement COO has not yet been named.

Hoffman said his largest and most important project at this time is construction of the Centers of Excellence in Fort Smith. Each center will focus separately on outpatients, heart patients, surgery and women’s health, and they are scheduled for completion in 2002.

St. Edward Mercy Health Network includes St. Edward Mercy Medical Center and Harbor View Mercy Hospital, the psychiatric division, both in Fort Smith.

Morgan left left St. Edward when he agreed to become president and CEO of the Sisters of Mercy Health System’s St. Louis-based health care network, St. John’s Mercy Health Care.