Clint Matthews, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tower Health, today announced the appointment of William Jennings as President and CEO for Reading Hospital, effective October 15.
As president and CEO, Jennings will be responsible for providing executive leadership to all aspects of Reading Hospital’s operations, performance, strategy, employee and physician engagement, and service to the community. Matthews, who held a dual role as President and CEO of both Reading Hospital and Tower Health, will remain with the system in the role of President and CEO of Tower Health.
Jennings comes to Reading Hospital from the Yale New Haven Health System, where he serves as executive vice president for the system and CEO of Bridgeport Hospital, an urban teaching hospital affiliated with the Yale University School of Medicine. Under his leadership, Bridgeport Hospital experienced a remarkable renaissance, dramatically increasing patient and physician satisfaction, reducing serious safety events by 70 percent, improving the hospital’s awareness and preference among consumers, and strengthening its financial performance. Jennings also initiated and led the hospital’s diversity and inclusion efforts, as well as a nursing standardization initiative, and oversaw the design, development, and construction of a $100 million outpatient facility.
Prior to his tenure at Yale New Haven, Jennings was president of SSM St. Mary’s Health Center in St. Louis, Missouri, a 582-bed teaching hospital serving a diverse community and broad geographic region. He also served as president for the SSM St. Louis Heart Institute, a six-hospital cardiovascular services organization. He has also held executive positions for BayCare Health System in Florida, and the Cookeville Regional Medical Center in Cookeville, Tennessee. He fulfilled administrative fellowships and residencies with the Norton Health System in Louisville, Kentucky; The Ohio State University Hospitals in Columbus, Ohio; Memorial Hospital of South Bend in Indiana; and Cabell Huntington Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia.
Jennings earned his Master’s degree in Health Administration from The Ohio State University, and his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio.
“We are fortunate to have selected a leader of this caliber,” said Matthews. “As Reading Hospital continues to grow and develop as the flagship hospital of Tower Health, Bill will provide the executive oversight to enhance existing services, and to continue our relentless pursuit of excellence in all we do.”
Jennings said, “I am very excited to assume this new role with Reading Hospital and Tower Health. I was attracted by Reading Hospital’s reputation for excellence and service and there is a strong sense of opportunity and progress throughout the entire Tower Health system. I’m excited to build on the progress that has been achieved, and to help Reading Hospital thrive in the challenging future for healthcare. My family and I look forward to becoming part of the Berks County community.”
