Eileen Skinner, president and CEO of Mercy Hospital and senior vice president of Eastern Maine Health Systems will step down from her position effective March 31, 2016. Skinner has been with Mercy Hospital since September 2002.
Skinner's resignation was announced by M. Michelle Hood, FACHE, president and CEO of EMHS. She credited Skinner for bringing life to Mercy’s vision to locate a state-of-the-art hospital along the Fore River, developing a greater Portland network of primary and specialty care programs, and helping to merge Mercy into EMHS two years ago.
In thanking Skinner for her years of service, Hood said, “She is known as a strong advocate for the Mercy mission to provide service to the community and the poor and disadvantaged. We are appreciative for the dedicated service, strategic value, and organizational skills she has brought to Mercy. We wish her well in whatever she pursues and know that she will be successful.”
Skinner helped to guide much of the post-affiliation work after Mercy became a member of EMHS in 2013. With much of that activity complete, she desires to seek the next step in her career path; however, she has agreed to remain through March to finalize the first phase of strategic plans tfor Mercy’s future course.
Skinner said that while she is ready for the next chapter in her professional life, she will miss the people. “It has been my privilege to work alongside some extraordinarily talented and dedicated people at both Mercy and EMHS; I cannot thank them enough for their devotion to the mission and their hard work. I have learned much more from them and their daily inspiration than they ever learned from me. I will take that knowledge and inspiration into my next career endeavor.”
Chairman of the Mercy Board of Directors, Chris Howard, Esq., said the southern Maine community benefitted from Skinner’s commitment to quality service and care.
“Eileen has been instrumental in guiding Mercy Hospital through more than a decade of dynamic change as the hospital has kept pace with the rapid pace of developments in the health care industry. Her leadership and dedication to Mercy has been a critical component of its success and will be truly missed. Furthermore, I would be remiss if I did not mention her steadfast commitment to the Sisters of Mercy and the mission of Catholic healthcare.”
Hood said a search for a new senior executive leader based at Mercy will be launched immediately. In the interim, oversight of Mercy will be led by EMHS chief operating officer Jay Eckersley, with assistance from current Mercy and EMHS executive leadership.
About EMHS:
The mission of EMHS is to maintain and improve the health and well-being of the people of Maine through a well-organized network of local healthcare providers who together offer high-quality, cost-effective services to their communities. EMHS, headquartered in Brewer, Maine, is a not-for-profit health delivery system, with a strong statewide presence. EMHS employs more than 11,000 people, including more than 600 physicians. The system includes nine hospitals, four emergency transport units, including half of the joint venture that is LifeFlight of Maine, a strong homecare and hospice organization, and eight nursing homes. For more information go to www.emhs.org.
About Mercy:
Mercy Hospital is a member of EMHS. Mercy provides a broad range of medical and surgical services through six primary care locations, five express care locations, and 22 subspecialty physician practices ranging from cardiology and spine surgery, to ENT and cancer care. Mercy Hospital also includes Gary’s House and McAuley Residence. A not-for-profit organization, Mercy is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Northeast Community. More information on Mercy is available at www.mercyhospital.org.