Health System with 5 hospitals across 1 state
| Health System | Independence Health System |
|---|---|
| Total Hospitals | 5 |
| Commercial/Acute Hospitals | 5 |
| Total Beds | 968 |
| Commercial/Acute Beds | 968 |
| Headquarters | Greensburg, PA |
| Website | independence.health |
| Hospital | Type | Beds | Teaching | Recently Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarion Hospital | Acute Care Hospital | 60 | Yes | Yes |
| Independence Health System Westmoreland Hospital | Acute Care Hospital | 335 | Yes | Yes |
| Independence Health System | Acute Care Hospital | 266 | No | No |
| Frick Hospital | Acute Care Hospital | 148 | No | Yes |
| Latrobe Hospital | Acute Care Hospital | 159 | Yes | Yes |
Ken DeFurio is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Independence Health System. He played a key role in the formation of Independence Health System through the integration of Excela Health and Butler Health System. Independence Health System is recognized as the third largest health system and the largest community-based health system in western Pennsylvania. DeFurio began his career at Butler Health System, now part of Independence Health System, in 1986 as a respiratory therapist. He has served as President and CEO since 2006. DeFurio holds a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. He is also involved in various boards and community organizations, including Butler County Community College and The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP). Under his leadership at Butler Health System, the system grew and developed outpatient service locations.
Karen Allen will take over as President of Butler Memorial and Clarion Hospitals. [7] Allen started her career as a bedside nurse and previously served as Director of Surgical Services and Assistant VP of Patient Care Services, vice president of Critical Care/Ancillary Services, chief nursing officer and chief experience officer before taking on the role of president of Butler Memorial and Clarion Hospitals. [7, 3]
Anthony Cancro, MBA, is the Chief Development Officer at Independence Health System, overseeing its four hospital foundations: Butler Memorial Hospital Foundation, Clarion Hospital Foundation Foundation, Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation, and Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation. He is an accomplished development professional with 20 years of expertise, having raised over $450 million for nonprofits and higher education institutions. A native of Western Pennsylvania, Cancro returned to the area after serving as Senior Development Officer at Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. Prior to that, he held development roles at the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Saint Vincent College, and the fundraising and nonprofit management consulting firm Graham-Pelton. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Thiel College and a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
David Dillon is the Chief Integration Officer & SVP of Business Development at Independence Health System, bringing over 30 years of experience in financial management and business development to this role. His responsibilities include leading integration efforts across the health system and collaborating on strategies for growth and efficiency. Dillon's career began in investment banking at Mid-Atlantic Capital Group, Inc., where he advised on debt placements, mergers and acquisitions, and valuations. In 1993, he co-founded the healthcare technology company MED3000 Group, Inc., serving as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and a board member. MED3000 was later acquired by McKesson. In 2008, Dillon founded Wesley Capital Holdings, LLC, which offers advisory services, analysis of private equity investment opportunities, and consulting on mergers and acquisitions in the healthcare and biotech sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Harvard University.
Mindy Dunkerley, MBA, BSN, RN, is the Chief Quality Officer at Independence Health System. She joined Independence Health System (formerly Butler Health System) in 1997 with a background in human services. She has also been mentioned as the chief of nursing for Independence Health System at Butler Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Carol Fox was introduced as chief medical officer. [3] Fox has served in executive medical leadership roles for Excela since 2005. [3] She joined the system in 1990 as a practicing primary care physician. [3] Fox helped to create hospital and systemwide physician advisory councils during her tenure as both chief medical officer and executive medical director of the employed physicians' medical group at Excela. [3] Dr. Carol Fox will be the chief medical officer; Dr. Fox has been an executive medical command for Excela Health since 2005. [7]
Brian Fritz was named as president of Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland hospitals. [3] Fritz, who will be in charge of Westmoreland, Latrobe and Frick hospitals, started his career at Excela Health in 2007. [3] In 2014, he joined Pinnacle Health System, now known as UPMC Central Pa., in Harrisburg, serving as the senior director of business operations. [3] In 2020, Fritz returned to Excela Health as the system vice president of surgical services. [3] Since 2020 Fritz has served as System Vice President of Surgical Services to Excela Health. [7]
Hillary Harlan, BSRN, JD, CHC, is the Chief Compliance Officer at Independence Health System, joining in 2020 when it was formerly Butler Health System. She also serves as the Vice President of Professional Services. Harlan's background includes experience as a cardiac intensive care RN. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Southern Methodist University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, and a Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University School of Law. Prior to her role at Independence Health System, Harlan was a Managing Director at GlassRatner, a financial advisory firm. She has also held executive positions at Change Healthcare and McKesson, Inc. Her expertise includes corporate compliance and regulatory issues, fraud investigation, litigation support, and risk assessment. She has experience in various healthcare settings, including long-term care, acute care, ambulatory care, home health and hospice, pharmacy, healthcare technology, and healthcare M&A. She has also served as Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer for MED3000, which was acquired by McKesson. Earlier in her career, she was Director of Compliance and Legal Services for Preferred Care Partners Management Group.
Pamela Hepp, Esq. is the Chief Legal Officer at Independence Health System, a position she has held since 2020. She possesses over 30 years of experience in healthcare legal matters. Before becoming Chief Legal Officer, she was associate counsel at Excela Health, which is part of Independence Health System, from 2005 through 2009. As a member of the executive management team, she concentrates on strategic initiatives, transactions, risk, corporate matters, and providing regulatory advice. In addition to her role at Independence Health System, Hepp is a shareholder with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney in their Healthcare Section. Her legal practice focuses on complex transactions, regulatory issues, and general counseling for large healthcare institutions, covering areas such as Medicare and Medicaid fraud, HIPAA, and medical staff matters. She is also the former co-leader of the firm's Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Group. Pamela Hepp earned her law degree and a Masters in Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh and her undergraduate degree from West Virginia University. She has been consistently recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Healthcare Law since 2018 and was named one of Health Data Management's "12 Healthcare IT Law Attorneys You Should Know." She is also involved with the Catholic Charities Free Clinic Community Advisory Board.
Roger Lutz is the Chief Information Officer at Independence Health System, which is the third largest health system in Western Pennsylvania. He became part of Independence Health System (previously Butler Health System) in 2009. Lutz has approximately 30 years of experience in the fields of information technology, data communications, and information security, with 15 years specifically in healthcare IT leadership. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Science from Robert Morris University and a Master's degree in Business Administration from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, he is certified by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHCIO) and is recognized as a HealthCare Information Security and Privacy Practitioner (HCISPP). Lutz is particularly interested in cybersecurity and acts as the Sector Chief for the Healthcare and Public Health sector within the FBI's Pittsburgh InfraGard partnership. He also contributes to the Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics program at Slippery Rock University as an adjunct instructor, teaching a course on Healthcare Ethics, Law, Privacy, and Information Assurance. His responsibilities as CIO include overseeing cybersecurity and IT functions, working to unify systems, optimize investments, reduce manual tasks, address staffing challenges, and promote interoperability. He is also focused on the health system's digital transformation, aiming to improve patient care through initiatives like closing care gaps and automating scheduling. Lutz considers data a key strategic asset for enhancing efficiency and is involved in the application of AI in healthcare.
Dr. David Rottinghaus was introduced as president of Physician and Provider Network. [3] Rottinghaus, who will preside over Independence's network of doctors and other providers as president of the Physician and Provider Network, started his career with an emergency medicine residency at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh in 2001. [3] In 2021, Rottinghaus assumed the role of president of Butler Medical Providers, and he continues to practice emergency medicine at Butler Memorial Hospital. [5]