Ascension appointed Dr. Tamarah Duperval-Brownlee as its new chief community impact officer, the organization announced Friday.
Duperval-Brownlee, who is currently Ascension vice president of care excellence, is tasked with socially integrating healthcare and other entities to "optimize the physical, mental and financial health and well-being of a defined community," according to a news release.
She will also oversee the transition of the Providence Health System's 283-bed hospital in Washington, D.C., into a network of telehealth, primary- and urgent-care, home care, community-based behavioral care, and senior care and population health services.
"As Ascension continues to lead the transformation of our ministries from their traditional hospital roots into the future of value-based delivery and socially integrated systems of care, I'm excited to have Dr. Duperval-Brownlee take on this work," Patricia Maryland, CEO of Ascension Healthcare, said in prepared remarks.
Duperval-Brownlee will officially start her new role on March 4. The new position follows Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley's announcement that he has revived his oversight push on not-for-profit hospitals to ensure they are earning their tax-exempt status.
Maryland is leaving Ascension on June 30 amid the Catholic health system's ongoing restructuring. Ascension split president and CEO of the organization into two jobs and unified its two-pronged structure, eliminating its "healthcare" and "solutions" divisions as well as a few leadership positions.
Dividing the organization limited collaboration and created "unintended hierarchy and silos," Ascension CEO Anthony Tersigni said. The reorganization aims to delegate decisionmaking appropriately as Ascension looks to streamline operations. It will also facilitate the growth and commercialization of its ancillary businesses.
It is also reducing its hospital footprint—currently 151 facilities in 22 states—and instead expanding its urgent-care, skilled-nursing, home health and telemedicine service lines.
As expected, the reorganization has dragged its finances. Ascension's operating income fell 81% from fiscal 2017 to 2018, from $552.7 million on $22.71 billion in total operating revenue to $104.8 million on $23.16 billion in operating revenue, according to Ascension's year-end financial report.
The health system drew $221.8 million in operating income on operating revenue of $12.61 billion through the first six months of fiscal 2019, compared with $84.7 million of operating income on $11.3 billion of operating revenue during the prior-year period.
