Burthay leaving St. Joseph Hospital

By KEN de la BASTIDE
Tribune enterprise editor

May 19, 2008 12:14 am

— For 23 years St. Joseph Hospital has been the work home of Darcy Burthay, the past three years as CEO, but those days will come to an end on June 2.
Burthay is leaving to take the position of chief operating officer and chief nursing officer at St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital.
Kathy Young, 43, has been named interim president at St. Joseph Hospital. She recently worked for St. Vincent Health Network Development, leading patient satisfaction and quality initiatives.
“This is a big change for me,” Burthay said, her eyes welling with tears. “It is going to be difficult leaving people I have worked with for many years.”
She said the St. Joseph staff has been supportive of her moving to another role in Indianapolis.
“I understand the needs in Kokomo and can help bring needed services here,” Burthay said. “You never forget your roots.”
Burthay was approached about the position in Indianapolis and decided to apply for the job.
“St. Vincent likes to move people up in the system,” she said. “This is a good match.”
Burthay said eventually she will move to the Indianapolis metropolitan area and indicated the timing was right with her two children attending Indiana University in Bloomington.
“I will be overseeing the day-to-day operations,” she said of the new position. “I love working close to the staff and patients.”
Burthay said her biggest accomplishment as CEO was St. Joseph being named one of Indiana’s Best Places to Work the past two years.
“I see people and staff around town and they mention that St. Joseph is their hospital,” she said. “They’re not talking about bricks and mortar, they are talking about the associates. We have worked on staff morale and the two awards are proof that the staff is feeling good.”
Joseph Klein, chairman of the St. Joseph Hospital board of directors, said Burthay has exceeded expectations as the CEO.
“Darcy’s leadership will be missed, but I’m confident the St. Joseph Hospital board of directors has selected an exceptional interim president in Kathy Young.”
Klein said Burthay did an excellent job and will tough to replace. He said the search for a new CEO has begun and should be completed in four months.
“It will be hard to fill Darcy’s shoes,” he said, “but we’re confident we can find someone of the same quality level.”
Klein said Burthay’s intra-personal skills allowed her to form a consensus and motivate the staff to develop a long-range strategic plan and to operate the hospital as it should be, improving the financial performance and patient care.
“She brought St. Joseph back on track with everyone pulling in the same direction, making the hospital the best it can be,” he said.
Burthay said she recommended Young be selected interim CEO.
“I’m confident I’m leaving the hospital in competent hands,” she said. “We planned a transition period. We have forums scheduled with the staff next week.”
Young has been working for St. Vincent for the past 13 years and has a background as a respiratory therapist.
“This will be a new challenge,” she said. “I have worked with the St. Joseph Hospital staff in the past on the strategic plan. Now I’m joining the team.”
Young said no big changes in the operation of the hospital is planned and facility will continue to move in the direction it is already headed.
Young said she will probably apply for the CEO position at St. Joseph and has been an interim CEO at three of St. Vincent Health hospitals in the past.

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