On April 28, Jim Sanger, president/CEO of SSM Health Care-St. Louis announced several position consolidations in the St. Louis network. They are as follows:

• The positions of North Operating Group president and South Operating Group president have been combined into one position: president/chief operating officer-hospital operations. Steve Johnson assumes this role.
• Bob Porter has been named president-programs and services/chief strategy officer.
• The positions of vice president of medical affairs and network vice president/chief quality officer have been combined into a single position: regional vice president-medical affairs/chief medical officer. Kevin Johnson, M.D., has been appointed to this position.
• Sean Hogan assumes the new role of president-ambulatory services, and will report to Bob Porter.
• Nalin Kulasekara is the new network vice president-contract & supply chain management.
• Sherry Hausmann, president of SSM St. Clare Health Center in Fenton, Mo., also becomes the service line executive for the SSM Neurosciences Institute.
• Bill Jennings, president of SSM St. Mary's Health Center and service line executive for the SSM Heart Institute, also takes on service line leadership responsibilities for SSM Vascular Services.
• A new service line "SSM Senior Services" has been created. Pat Komoroski, president of SSM DePaul Health Center in Bridgeton, Mo., and service line executive for SSM Behavioral Health Services, also will serve as service line executive for senior services.

"By combining positions where it makes sense, and thoughtfully expanding key responsibilities, we have streamlined our leadership structure, resulting in two fewer executive positions," Sanger said.