LEXINGTON, Ky.—CHI Saint Joseph Health announced today Anthony A. Houston, FACHE, as the CEO for the health system following a comprehensive national search of outstanding candidates. Houston, who will also serve as president of Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East, both in Lexington, will begin in the new role on April 5.
A Cincinnati native, Houston is currently the president and COO for CHI Memorial in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
“I have worked with Tony for several years, and am very pleased that he is the candidate of choice selected by the Saint Joseph board of directors,” said Larry Schumacher, CommonSpirit Health southeast division CEO. “His background and progressive experience in health care for more than 20 years, as well as his commitment to the mission of Catholic health care, will provide the perfect leadership for CHI Saint Joseph Health.”
Both CHI Saint Joseph Health and CHI Memorial are a part of CommonSpirit Health, which was created by the alignment of Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health as a single organization in 2019. CommonSpirit is the largest not-for-profit health care system in the U.S., with 137 hospitals and more than 1,000 care centers across 21 states.
“I am honored to lead an organization with such a legacy of care and innovation in Kentucky,” Houston said. “This is an exciting time to join CHI Saint Joseph Health with the positive growth and momentum of the past few years. The employees and providers have a deep, mission-based commitment to providing the best care possible, and that is clearly evident.”
“Tony joins us after recent leadership roles at CHI Memorial and CHI St. Vincent in Arkansas, which, like Saint Joseph, were also founded by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth,” said Martha Jones, chair, CHI Saint Joseph Health board of directors. “He has an acute understanding of our system and mission, and is dedicated to building upon the rich history that Saint Joseph established in our communities beginning in 1877.”
Houston brings more than 20 years of health care leadership experience with complex health systems in Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois. He has a strong background in all aspects of acute care hospitals, as well as senior leadership experience in finance, facility planning, physician practice performance, growth, and merger and acquisition activity. He has served as president and COO within three catholic health care organizations, as staff director in the corporate office of a large health care system, service line leader at an academic medical center, consultant at a Big 4 consulting firm and as senior analyst at a multinational financial services firm.
He holds a BS in biology from the University of Cincinnati, a master’s degree in health services administration from Xavier University and is completing a doctorate in education (Ed.D.) in interdisciplinary leadership at Creighton University.
He is active in the communities where he is called to serve, most recently serving as a board member for the American Heart Association – Tennessee Valley, United Way of Chattanooga, and the Catoosa County, Georgia, Chamber of Commerce.
CHI Saint Joseph Health, part of CommonSpirit Health, is one of the largest health systems in Kentucky with 100 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes, home health agencies, and an ambulatory Care Center. The hospitals in CHI Saint Joseph Health are Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East.
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