St. Francis eliminates
top administrative
positions

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By Lyn Danninger
ldanninger@starbulletin.com

St. Francis Healthcare System cut three key administrative positions this week as part of continued cost-cutting.

Eliminated Monday were the jobs of hospital administrator overseeing St. Francis Medical Center-Liliha and St. Francis Medical Center-West in Ewa Beach, chief information officer and vice president for strategic planning and government affairs. The jobs were held by Cindy Okinaka, Alan Ito and Stephen Chong. A secretarial support position was also cut.

Maggie Jarrett, spokes-woman for the system, characterized the move as "all part of the effort to downsize and reach financial targets."

The resulting savings are difficult to quantify but would likely be several hundred thousand dollars, Jarrett said.

To meet its financial goals, St. Francis has already had to cut a number of unprofitable services this year, including its Iwilei Clinic which served the homeless, the Women's Addiction Treatment Center at its Liliha facility and maternity services at St. Francis West medical center.

In April, the organization eliminated 150 jobs and consolidated hospital operations at its two medical centers into one operating model.

Jarrett said the job responsibilities related the latest cuts will be assumed by four current employees, who will assume the new titles of chief clinical officer, chief business officer, chief medical officer and chief foundation officer.

Those four positions report to the health care system's chief executive officer, Sister Beatrice Tom.

Cost-cutting measures at St. Francis are likely to continue, Jarrett said.

St. Francis recently extended its four-month contract to two years with ProCare, an Alabama-based health-care consulting firm that recommends possible restructuring and other cost-saving measures.

The health care system has undertaken to reach certain financial targets within two years to help reduce the impact of $5 million in losses, Jarrett said. To meet the goals, St. Francis needs to generate an additional $15 million in revenue over the next two years.

Further layoffs are possible, Jarrett said.