ST. LOUIS - Two of Mercy's senior executive leaders are making industry headlines, receiving big accolades for their work to improve Mercy and the way we serve others.
Betty Jo Rocchio, Mercy senior vice president and chief nurse executive, is in good company on Modern Healthcare’s newly released 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives - 2024. This prestigious group includes leaders from nonprofit and for-profit health systems, government agencies, retailers, medical associations and managed care organizations.
Congratulations are also in order for Cheryl Matejka, SVP and chief financial officer, who was named to Becker's Hospital Review's “160 CFOs to Know 2024.” In her role at Mercy, Cheryl provides strategic oversight for financial operations, revenue cycle, supply chain, philanthropy and treasury services. Over the past decade, she has significantly strengthened Mercy's finances, navigating regulatory and contractual changes and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Cheryl ensures that Mercy remains financially robust to continue serving communities effectively.
Betty Jo Rocchio led implementation of Mercy Works on Demand, a gig nursing, artificial intelligence-enabled staffing management system designed to meet three goals: improve workforce efficiency, attract and retain high-quality nurses and decrease unnecessary labor costs. Through the use of the technology, Mercy reduced its reliance on travel nurses, saving more than $30 million. Staff turnover and time spent on scheduling and other tasks also decreased.
Becker's Health IT developed its "160 CFOs to Know 2024" list based on nominations and editorial research. Modern Healthcare highlights this year’s "50 Most Influential Clinical Executives" honorees as physicians and nurses who leverage their extensive experience, critical insights and expertise to meet patient needs and support care teams on the front lines. Additionally, they have played a pivotal role in shaping strategies that promote the health and well-being of their communities, both in the short and long term.
To read Rocchio’s Modern Healthcare profile, click here. To read Matejka's profile, click here.
Becker's Health IT also recently picked up on this use of AI to help nurses obtain extra shifts and reduce time in the EHR. As Betty Jo shared, artificial intelligence (AI) is "perfectly positioned" to ease the workload for nurses and give them time back at the bedside. Nurses wanting to leave the profession often cite being sick of all the administrative work unrelated to patient care.