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St. James Hospital Announces New CEO

Jun. 8, 2018
Bryan J. O'Donovan to lead UR Medicine affiliate
Bryan O'Donovan

HORNELL, N.Y. – The St. James Hospital Board of Directors has selected Bryan J. O’Donovan, M.P.A., M.S., as its new president and chief executive officer. The announcement was made Friday morning during an employee event celebrating the hospital’s recent affiliation with UR Medicine.

O’Donovan begins July 9 in his new role. He will take over for Interim President and CEO Leo Brideau, who has supported St. James during a CEO search that began in February.

O’Donovan has spent the past 18 months as director of Ambulatory Administration and Practice Man­agement for UR Medicine’s Strong Memorial Hospital and Medical Faculty Groups, overseeing 210 ambulatory hospital-based and faculty practice clinics spanning multiple counties, with patient visits exceeding 2 million last year.

Since 2013, O’Donovan has served as director of UR Medicine’s Strong West facility in Brockport. The ambulatory medical center, which is part of Strong Memorial Hospital, is comprised of health care programs that include an outpatient surgical center, a multispecialty suite, imaging, primary care, oncology, orthopaedics, and the first off-campus emergency department in Upstate New York. In 2013, Strong West opened with three clinical programs and 30 employees. There are now 17 programs and 180 employees.

He previously was administrator for UR Medicine’s Program in Heart Failure and Transplantation. A military veteran, O’Donovan began his health care career with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where he managed programs for homeless and disabled veterans.

“From a diverse pool of candidates, Bryan’s health care experience and previous successes stood out,” said Dr. Susan Gray, chair of the St. James Hospital Board of Directors. “We are delighted to welcome him to the St. James family and look forward to our bright future as we prepare to open a new hospi­tal and further expand the high-quality clinical care we offer our neighbors.”

“Bryan O’Donovan is an experienced health-care administrator who has advanced the UR Medicine goal to provide high-quality health care as close to home as possible for families across Upstate New York,” said Steven I. Goldstein, Vice President of the University of Rochester Medical Center who oversees UR Medicine regional hospitals, and also serves as President and CEO of Strong Memorial and Highland Hospitals in Rochester. “His proven track record of cultivating growth and his passion for rural health care make Bryan an ideal choice to lead St. James Hospital as part of the UR Medicine system.”

St. James became an affiliate in March, after working with UR Medicine under an administrative services agreement since 2015. The partnership has brought new health services to Hornell, includ­ing primary care, gastroenterology, imaging and otolaryngology. Last year, the hospital welcomed a chief medical officer from UR Medicine, Bilal Ahmed, M.D., who leads quality improvement initiatives and helps recruit physicians to the Hornell area. St. James continues to expand services and improve patient care. UR Medicine also has a collaboration agreement with Oak Orchard Health, which has helped to expand availability of primary care, pediatrics, and dental services in the Hornell area.

St. James secured $62.8 million in state funding to build a new hospital on Seneca Road in North Hor­nell, the site of the former Kmart plaza, and add an electronic health record system. Hospital leader­ship broke ground on the new hospital in November 2017. Completion of the adjacent Medical Office Building, which will house UR Medicine specialists such as primary care, heart and vascular, neurosur­gery, gastroenterology, as well as Express Care and collaborative partner Oak Orchard, is scheduled to open later this year. The new hospital will open in 2019.

In addition to announcing its new president and CEO on Friday, St. James unveiled to employees a new logo and name: St. James Hospital. Since its founding in 1890, the hospital had been sponsored by the Religious Sisters of Mercy (RSM). It became independent in 2015, and now as a UR Medicine affiliate no longer sponsored by RSM, the Board of Directors deemed a name change appropriate. What will remain is the Sisters’ legacy to serve all, regardless of ability to pay.

A native of Avon, O’Donovan resides in his hometown with his wife, Shanna. They have three children.