Former PeaceHealth leader, who stepped down in May, returns in new role

Dr. Kim Ruscher, former chief medical officer of PeaceHealth Oregon, is working in a new leadership position within the healthcare network. 

Her boss, Mark Korth, executive vice president and chief transformation and integration officer, sat down with Lookout Eugene-Springfield for a 15-minute interview Thursday, Aug. 20. Lookout has made multiple requests since early August for an interview with Ruscher. PeaceHealth officials said she would not be made available.

In an internal email to staff Aug. 10, Korth announced Ruscher’s position as enterprise vice president of physician clinical services, a new position at PeaceHealth. 

“A key focus of Dr. Ruscher’s work will be leading the next phase of our Carry Forward transfer center efforts. In partnership with medical and nursing leaders, she will help ensure we have the capacity and processes needed to efficiently accept incoming patient transfers while maintaining access to essential services across our communities,” he said in the announcement. 

Korth expanded on some details in his interview with Lookout, explaining that the vision for the center is a “centralized hub,” but it hasn’t been determined whether it will be a virtual or physical space. 

“Carry Forward is our systemwide performance improvement efforts, and it’s multipronged. It touches nearly every part of the organization,” Korth said. “How do we improve our patient care services, our delivery, our efficiencies? So, transfer center work has been ongoing work within that performance improvement effort.”

“(Ruscher’s) role is all about supporting our ability to accept transfers of patients from outlying areas into locations such as RiverBend,” he said, also referencing locations in Bellingham and Vancouver, Washington. “It’s also a role about improving care coordination.” 

“Care coordination” describes collaboration and processes between medical partners outside a hospital and those who work inside the hospital. An example of care coordination is the transfer from an ambulance to the emergency department, which is sometimes the first step. 

Improving such coordination was a goal cited by RiverBend leadership, including Dr. Jim McGovern, former chief hospital executive of PeaceHealth Oregon, when plans were underway to end a longstanding contract with Eugene Emergency Physicians in February. 

In response, doctors on the medical staff voted mid-February 345-25 that they did not have confidence in the leadership of McGovern or Ruscher. In the week that followed came public turmoil, including appeals to state lawmakers for a review and a federal court battle over whether the proposed incoming company could legally work in Oregon.

PeaceHealth reversed course May 6 and reinstated Eugene Emergency Physicians’ contract, about a week before McGovern’s departure was announced.

Ruscher stepped down as chief medical officer May 21, and in that announcement, said she was “partnering with PeaceHealth to find a meaningful role.” 

“I am voluntarily taking a personal leave, both to recover from the last several months and to spend time with and care for an ill family member,” she said in an announcement. 

Ruscher started her new role this month, Korth said. 

Lookout asked Korth how Ruscher would approach her new role, given that she testified in court about strained relationships with physicians.

“PeaceHealth as an organization has needed to learn a lot from recent events in Oregon. I think Kim would say she’s part of that,” Korth said. “Feedback that came from medical staff, leaders, the community around how we interact, I think PeaceHealth has needed to acknowledge that, which I will certainly acknowledge. Kim, too, acknowledges that. This role specifically has been set up with acknowledgment of that.”

Ruscher’s new office is based out of Vancouver and no physicians will report directly to her. She also does not make hiring or firing decisions of physicians, Korth said.

“This is very much moved to a system role at broader organizational constructs, working with multidisciplinary teams without direct oversight. I think that gives Kim an opportunity to evolve, learn from the past, apply her talents in a new setting,” Korth said. 

Earlier this month, Ruscher updated her LinkedIn profile with her new role, with tiles also reflecting her time as a pediatric surgeon. 

On Aug. 5, she commented on a post about healthcare leadership, discomfort and change midcareer. 

“I have also switched from pediatric surgery to leadership and had my heavy bag moment this year,” she wrote. “From the pain I have emerged stronger.”