Even though Peter Banko, CEO of CHI St. Vincent in Little Rock, was promoted last week by parent company Catholic Health Initiatives of Englewood, Colorado, to oversee several hospitals in its east/southeast division, he is still moving forward with affiliation talks with other Arkansas hospitals.
Banko told Arkansas Business last week that he will still be the CEO of CHI St. Vincent, but his leadership team will have to take on “a little bit more responsibility.”
CHI named Banko, who has been CEO of CHI St. Vincent since 2007, senior vice president and group executive officer of CHI’s east/southeast division as well as chief integration officer.
Banko said the affiliation talks with Conway Regional Health System are moving forward.
The two hospitals entered into “exclusive strategic affiliation discussions” on May 1. Banko declined to comment on what specifically was being discussed now. But he has said that CHI St. Vincent wouldn’t own, manage or lease property on Conway Regional property and Conway Regional would continue to have its management team in place.
Banko also said there have been “some preliminary discussions” about affiliations with other hospitals in Arkansas, but he declined to name the hospitals.
For the past several years, Banko has predicted that one day Arkansas will have only two or maybe three statewide health networks. Earlier this year, he led the integration of the former Mercy Hot Springs hospital and physician clinic into CHI’s system.
Banko said he’s familiar with integrating hospitals so there won’t be a “steep learning curve” when he directs the transition of Memorial Health System of East Texas, which will become part of CHI St. Luke’s Health in Houston over the next several months.
Banko’s promotion is effective on Monday. Banko’s region now includes CHI hospitals in Chattanooga, Tennessee; Reading, Pennsylvania; and Denville, New Jersey.
“Banko also will direct the transition process for Memorial Health System of East Texas, which will become part of Houston-based CHI St. Luke’s Health over the next several months; and will assume responsibility for the CHI national integration team,” according to the CHI news release last week.
Banko said that he expects to spend the next couple of months with the hospitals in the other cities, “but over time, it will be a balance between here and the rest of the markets.”
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