FirstLight Home Care Makes Leadership Changes; Care Synergy Names New Chief Medical Officer

FirstLight Home Care expands franchise support center team, makes leadership changes

FirstLight Home Care has made several leadership changes and additions to its franchise support team.

The Cincinnati-based FirstLight Home Care has about 200 locations across the country.

Mark Vanase, FirstLight’s former EVP of business development and field operations, has been named the company’s new COO.

Additionally, Kathleen Spooner has been named the executive director of compliance and clinical services, Lucy Modzelewski has been named the senior brand manager and Eric Medecke has been named the executive director of IT and franchise systems.

Other changes include: Kevin Samov being named the director of organizational training and development; Tanya Duncan as the business development director for the company’s West region; Mandi Zook-Stewart as the business development director for the Central region; and Jane Yousey as the culture of caring coach.

“It’s not just about expanding our team, it’s about enhancing our team to ensure we have the right people in the right roles,” FirstLight President and CEO Glee McAnanly said in a statement. “Everything we do centers around our franchisee-first commitment and creating a team that can utilize their strengths and expertise to provide exceptional support to our franchise network.”

Care Synergy’s new chief medical officer

Care Synergy has named Dr. Robert Howe as the company’s new chief medical officer.

Howe will lead the clinical strategy for all hospice, palliative care and home health affiliates under the Care Synergy umbrella, which include The Denver Hospice (TDH), Peak Hospice in Colorado Springs, Pathways Hospice in Fort Collins and the Colorado Visiting Nurses Association.

He will continue to serve as medical officer for The Denver Hospice in addition to his new role.

“Dr. Howe has done an outstanding job partnering with and leading teams of specially trained clinical staff at The Denver Hospice,” Care Synergy President and CEO Tim Bowen said in a statement. “His passion for caring for patients with advanced and terminal illnesses, as well as his collaborative approach to working with all clinical staff — including providers across the enterprise — makes him uniquely suited for this expanded leadership role.”

Care Synergy is a Colorado-based network for community-based home health care, hospice and palliative care providers.

VillageMD appoints new CFO

VillageMD has named Richard Rubino as the company’s new chief financial officer. The move is effective June 26.

“We’re thrilled to have Rich join VillageMD as he brings extensive financial planning, strategy and leadership experience,” VillageMD CEO and Chairman Tim Barry said in a statement. “The business is increasingly complex, as we operate primary, urgent and multispecialty care in markets across the U.S. while expanding our patient populations in risk-based contracts. Rich will play an important role in this next stage of our growth.”

Before joining VillageMD, Rubino served as CFO of Cedar Gate Technologies, Inc., a value-based care enablement enterprise.

VillageMD is backed by Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA), which has infused over $6 billion into the company. Most recently, VillageMD acquired Summit Health for $8.9 billion.

“I am excited to join VillageMD and help drive the enterprise to exceed its strategic plan and reach operational excellence at scale,” Rubino said in a statement. “VillageMD’s mission to transform the way health care is delivered is inspiring and necessary right now, and I look forward to participating in that transformation.”

Monogram Health names new chief growth officer

Monogram Health has hired Aashish Shah as its new chief growth officer.

Dr. Shah comes to Monogram with nearly two decades of experience in the health care industry, and will be tasked with leading a new growth strategy for the company.

“I’m eager to put my clinical experience and business acumen to work in support of Monogram’s inspiring mission to transform the way evidence-based care is delivered to millions of people nationwide living with polychronic diseases,” Dr. Shah said in a statement. “I look forward to supporting the expansion of this innovative, in-home care delivery model that has proven so successful in driving better health outcomes and affordability for patients across the 35 states it serves.”

Monogram Health is a value-based specialty provider of in-home nephrology, primary care and benefit management services for individuals with chronic kidney and end-stage renal disease.

Before joining Monogram, Shah was the corporate vice president for strategy and product innovation for payer contracting and alignment at the Nashville-based HCA Healthcare (NYSE: HCA).

ProMedica appoints new chief HR officer

ProMedica has named Floyd Chasse as its new chief human resources officer, effective July 17.

“We are pleased to welcome Floyd to ProMedica as our chief human resources officer,” ProMedica President and CEO Arturo Polizzi said in a statement “Given his specialized background in the health care industry and extensive experience driving personnel operations and programs that elevate organizational performance, we are confident he will be an exceptional addition to our executive leadership team.”

The Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica is a nonprofit health system that — in addition to its home-based care and hospice capabilities — has 12 hospitals, more than 2,500 physicians, a health plan, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing centers, memory care communities and outpatient rehab clinics.

In February, Gentiva – the company comprised of the hospice and personal home care assets of what was formerly Kindred at Home – acquired ProMedica’s Heartland home health and hospice assets for $710 million.

Chasse has more than 25 years of experience in health system HR and most recently served as chief HR officer for the Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Erlanger Health System.