Updated 10:55 a.m.
PROVIDENCE – The board of directors of Thundermist Health Center announced Thursday that it has named Jeanne LaChance president and CEO, effective immediately. LaChance, who came to Thundermist in 2013 to serve as its chief financial and administrative officer, succeeds Charles T. Jones, who served as president and CEO from 2011 through late February 2017. Mike Ryan, director of finance at Thundermist, has served as interim CFO since LaChance assumed the interim CEO role. Calling him a strong candidate for the CFO position, LaChance expects to make a hiring decision shortly.
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In an earlier statement announcing Jones’ departure, Thundermist reported that its board would form a search committee and engage a professional search firm to lead a national search for Jones’ replacement. Jones left Thundermist to become CEO of Harbor Health Services Inc., a community health agency in Dorchester, Mass.
Recent news of a nearly $100 million revenue shortfall in the state’s budget for the next fiscal year and beyond could impact Thundermist with respect to Medicaid and grant funding, LaChance told Providence Business News. The organization has been proactive in light of reduced resources, she said and it is part of an accountable care organization that’s being developed; the Community Health Center ACO will come up with value based reimbursement options, which are important in this era where everybody is looking to cut costs, she said. The Community Health Center ACO – whose name may change – includes Thundermist, some other health centers and some CCAP agencies, she said.
With Thundermist’s current strategic plan running through December 2017, LaChance said she’ll be starting the process for the next three-year strategic plan to make sure Thundermist can keep its strong base. “For every time there’s a negative, there’ll be an opportunity.”
“After an extensive search process that attracted nationally recognized candidates from across the Northeast, the board is confident to have found the best person to assume leadership of Thundermist,” Tim Henry, board president, said in the statement. “Since arriving at Thundermist, Jeanne has been an outstanding CFO, chief administrative and compliance officer, and most recently, interim CEO. Jeanne understands and is committed to maintaining the unique workplace culture and innovative health care style that makes Thundermist special to so many of our staff and patients.”
LaChance, who earned an MBA from Salve Regina University and an undergraduate degree from Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., had worked at Westerly Hospital before joining Thundermist. She served Westerly Hospital in several positions, including as interim CEO, executive vice president and chief operating officer, chief financial officer/vice president of operations and a compliance officer. Earlier, she served as chief financial officer/vice president of finance at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, N.Y.
“I’m honored to be chosen to lead [Thundermist]; hopefully, I do [the position] justice,” said LaChance. “The staff is so passionate and the culture here is so transparent.”
At its three locations in Rhode Island, Thundermist Health Center provides a wide array of health care services to patients with and without health insurance.
Nancy Kirsch is a PBN contributing writer.
