McLeod Health today announced leadership changes with the goal of improving patient care and streamlining the overall use of electronic medical records (EMR) to benefit patients and the medical professionals serving them.
In mid-February, after an upgrade of the existing Cerner Millennium EMR system used by the seven McLeod Hospitals throughout McLeod Health, the following transitions will take effect. The move to an electronic health record is the single largest project in the history of McLeod Health.
Marie Saleeby, RN, MSN, Administrator and Senior Vice President of McLeod Regional Medical Center (MRMC) in Florence since 2006, will become Senior Vice President of Work Flow Optimization. This is a new function designed to find ways to improve the integration of McLeod Health hospitals and its medical practice EMRs, resulting in greater efficiency and safety for patients, as well as physicians. Saleeby will utilize dedicated resources from Operational Effectiveness (OE) in cooperation with Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer Matt Reich and McLeod Information System support services. In addition to organizational improvement work, the Work Flow Optimization Team will focus on adapting to a more standardized and integrated EMR system by streamlining clinical and supportive workflows to achieve the best outcomes.
Saleeby will be leading the team’s work to identify opportunities for improvement in flow and processes within McLeod, reducing disparities that may hinder efficiency and quality in the delivery of care, resulting in a benefit to both patients and providers.
“Marie was chosen for this critical task because of her demonstrated leadership and experience,” said McLeod Health President and CEO Rob Colones. “Her professional skills makes her the optimum person for this role. Utilizing Operational Effectiveness Teams with additional dedicated resources will support our mission to serve our communities with excellence and continue to improve patient care.”
Saleeby has been with McLeod Health since 1988, serving as Nursing Director for the McLeod Surgical Intensive Care Unit. Additionally, she has served as Associate Vice President of Nursing, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President for Patient Care Services. She holds a Master of Nursing degree from the University of South Carolina and is a fellow of the Johnson & Johnson School of Business Wharton Fellows Program in Management for Nurse Executives at the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a Bronze Belt in Lean Methodology and is involved with numerous local boards and in her church activities. Saleeby serves as Vice Chair of the Florence Darlington Technical College Foundation Board of Directors, Chair of Hope Health Board of Directors and is an active member of the Florence Chamber of Commerce Board.
She is married to Joseph Saleeby and has a son and daughter, and four grandchildren.
“As Administrator of McLeod Regional Medical Center, I have seen the challenge of moving from paper to electronic medical records,” says Saleeby. “This is not a McLeod issue. This is a national issue as highlighted in a recent New York Times article, which said ‘on average, nurses and doctors spend 50% of their work time treating the screen, not the patient.’ Patients are feeling they are not getting the attention they deserve. And nurses and doctors are increasingly facing frustration. We hope to be a leader in finding solutions to these issues for McLeod, but solutions others may view as a model.”
McLeod Chief Operating Officer Donna Isgett stated, “Our goals will include increasing patient access, decreasing patient wait times, increasing clinical efficiency and quality while making the EMR system more user friendly for physicians and staff. The complexity of standardization throughout McLeod Health will require experts with the needed resources to accomplish this essential goal.”
John W. “Will” McLeod has been appointed as Administrator of McLeod Regional Medical Center, the McLeod Health system’s largest hospital and tertiary care facility located in Florence, SC. McLeod has been with the health system since 2002, starting as an Administrative resident and serving as Assistant Director of Human Resources, Founding Director of Operational Effectiveness, Vice President of Patient Services in the Emergency Department and Orthopedics, and Vice President of Surgical Services.
“Will has proven himself in a variety of departmental, supervisory and management positions,” said McLeod Health President, Colones. “He has excellent working relations with physicians and staff. We are pleased that Will has accepted this opportunity. This promotion comes with significant responsibility because MRMC is not only at the geographic center of our 17-county coverage area but also offers advanced subspecialty services in heart, vascular, cancer, women’s and intensive care, among others.”
According to McLeod, “I am humbled by this challenge and have spent the better part of two decades working with the medical, clinical and support services at McLeod Health and MRMC. You will not find a better team anywhere to serve our patients and community. My goal as Administrator will be to continue putting the patient at the center of all we do.”
Will McLeod, a native of Florence, holds a Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration from the Medical University of South Carolina, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in biology from Francis Marion University. He has served on the Florence School District 1 School Board, is a past board member/finance chair for the Liberty Chapel United Methodist Church and has served on missions in this country and overseas. He is married to Ashlee Moore McLeod, a Pediatric Physical Therapist. They have three children.
