Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | April 29, 2024 | Worcester Business Journal 17 H E A L T H C A R E P O W E R 1 0 0 UMass Memorial Health congratulates Eric Dickson, MD, and Brian Gibbs, PhD, on being named to the Central MA Power 100, representing the most powerful and influential people in the region. Thank you both for your vision, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the caregivers of UMass Memorial Health and the communities we serve. Eric Dickson, MD President and CEO, UMass Memorial Health Brian Gibbs, PhD Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Officer, UMass Memorial Health Rozanna Penney President & CEO Heywood Healthcare, in Gardner Employees: 1,673 Residence: Sharon Colleges: Boston College, University of New England, UMass Boston, Massachusetts Bay Community College When Penney was promoted to co-CEO of Heywood in June, the healthcare system was experiencing extreme financial hardship, halting construction on a $29-million surgical pavilion that same month aer filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October. Heywood's former CEO, Winfield Brown, had departed the system abruptly amid all the turmoil, and leadership fell suddenly to Penney and co-CEO Tom Sullivan. Since then, Penney has become the sole Heywood CEO and invested her efforts into turning around the healthcare system's finances while focusing on the needs of communities. Heywood comprises Athol Hospital as well as Heywood Hospital, the Watkins Center for Emergency and Acute Care, and the Heywood Medical Group, all of Gardner, in addition to 80 clinical providers over eight satellite facilities. During Penney's short time as CEO, Heywood's net patient service revenue in- creased 7% and operational expenses declined 5% compared to the year prior for the first four months of the fiscal year. In the last 10 months, Heywood saw a 14% increase in surgical services, a 1.2% increase in diagnostic imaging, and a 16% increase in newborn deliveries with seven doulas and four more in training. Aer closing its inpatient mental health unit in October 2021, Heywood reopened the operation in January under Penney's leadership. e unit has a nine-bed license, and Heywood is looking to return to a full 12-bed license come May. In addition to its inpatient services, the unit provides a partial hospitalization program, intensive outpatient program, and outpatient psychiatric services. Penney was voted in January onto the board of trustees of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, a nonprofit advocacy organization representing 70 hospitals and healthcare facilities across the state. - M.K.M. Mary Craig Ritter Chief strategy & government programs officer Fallon Health, in Worcester Employees: 1,262 Residence: Holden College: University of Massachusetts Amherst Much of the last 20 years of Ritter's career have taken place at the Worcester- based healthcare nonprofit Fallon, making her an expert in insurance products and services primarily for those covered by Medicare and Medicaid insurances. Her steady expertise and presence was important during a time of transition for Fallon, as eight-year President & CEO Richard Burke retired in January, with his successor Manny Lopes set to start in July. Today, Ritter plans products and pricing fitting with Fallon's ever-increasing focus on serving vulnerable populations. Fallon has 200,000+ members, making it a small but important link in the Mass. health plan market. Posting positive net income each fiscal year since 2019, Ritter's knack for the job is apparent. Publicly funded insurance plans aren't generally seen as moneymakers in the commercial health plan world, but with revenue of $1.75 billion, net income of $18.3 million, and assets of almost $700 million in fiscal 2022, according to the Internal Revenue Service, the niche is working for Fallon. A major employer with a downtown presence in Worcester, Fallon this year is relocating its headquarters from Chestnut Place to One Mercantile. Retaining Fallon downtown was a win for the City of Worcester's effort to create a vibrant city center, as the insurance company seeks to provide a modern, collaborative work environment for its team of hybrid office employees. Formerly chief operating and strategy officer, Ritter took a five-year hiatus from Fallon to launch a nonprofit consulting business, which gave her a chance to share her expertise with healthcare, human service, and cultural organizations. She returned in 2019, citing the unique, mission-driven culture of the company. Fallon's charitable giving tops $1 million annually in Worcester County. - E.M.

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