Another top official at St. Elizabeth’s resigns

Another top official at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville has resigned.

Dr. Shelly Harkins, the chief medical officer, resigned after being selected as the first chief medical officer of the Beacon Health System in South Bend, Ind. Her last day with St. Elizabeth’s will be Aug. 7.

“Opportunities for someone with Dr. Harkins’ background and achievements are vast, and we wish her well on this new career challenge,” said Kelly Barbeau, spokeswoman for St. Elizabeth’s.

President and chief executive officer Maryann Reese announced her resignation early last month. Reese, who was CEO of St. Elizabeth’s since January 2011, accepted a new position as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Saint Francis Health System in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Reese’s last day at St. Elizabeth’s was Thursday.

The hospital appointed Shelley Harris, the chief nursing officer, to serve as interim CEO. She began her new position Friday.

“The hospital is proud of the dedication of all of our colleagues who put patients first and live our mission,” Barbeau said. “Our executive team, now being led by interim CEO Dr. Shelley Harris, is poised to continue to lead the hospital into these very exciting times for the region.”

The hospital’s parent company — Hospital Sisters Health System — will be conducting two searches — one for a permanent CEO and another for a chief medical officer while moving forward with construction of it’s replacement hospital for St. Elizabeth’s being built in O’Fallon after getting approval from the state health board earlier this year.

The board’s approval allows St. Elizabeth’s to close its 303-bed hospital in downtown Belleville and open a replacement 144-bed hospital seven miles away off Interstate 64 on North Green Mount Road. The cost of the project is estimated to be $253 million.

This story was originally published August 3, 2015 at 2:17 PM with the headline "Another top official at St. Elizabeth’s resigns."