KEALAKEKUA — Kona and Kohala hospitals have their new leader.
The HHSC West Hawaii Region Board of Directors selected Anna Chiotti as the CEO of the West Hawaii region, which includes Kona Community Hospital and Kohala Hospital.
Chiotti will assume duties Jan. 2, Hawaii Health Systems Corp. announced Monday.
“The board is confident that Anna is a leader well suited for the West Hawaii Region and our unique culture,” said Frank Sayre, West Hawaii Region Board chair. “She possesses a deep knowledge of all aspects of health care. Her experience in the areas of patient care, hospital operations, quality, financial management and strategic development indicates that she is the best choice to continue moving forward with the region’s strategic initiatives.”
The CEO selection process involved a lengthy, nationwide search conducted by executive search firm Quick Leonard Kieffer.
Chiotti will take over for departing CEO Jay Kreuzer, who will retire Dec. 31. Hired in 2011, Kreuzer will remain involved in regional strategic planning in 2020.
Chiotti, who couldn’t be reached for comment Monday, has over 30 years of health care leadership experience, the news release announcing her hire stated.
She is a nurse leader by training, with a background in hospital and medical center management. She has held leadership roles including chief nursing officer, COO and vice president at a number of large organizations including Providence Healthcare, San Ramon Regional Medical Center, California Pacific Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente.
Under Chiotti’s leadership, Providence Holy Cross Medical Center was recognized by Nurse.org in 2017 as one of the best hospitals in California for nurses to work.
“I have never worked with a more professional, innovative and quality nurse team,” Chiotti said about the recognition at the time. “Our nurses practice excellence and compassion every day, they’re eager to seek new ways to improve patient care and they thrive on teamwork, learning from one another.”
Chiotti earned a Bachelor of Science Nursing and a Master of Science Nursing degree from St. Mary’s College, Samuel Merritt College in Oakland, California.
Kona Community Hospital, founded in 1914, is a 94-bed full-service acute care hospital with 24-hour emergency department recently designated as a Level III trauma center supporting the west region of the island of Hawaii.
Kreuzer’s retirement caps an eight-year tenure leading the strategic direction of KCH and the West Hawaii Region. During that time, he was instrumental in bringing financial stability and strategic growth to the West Hawaii Region. That growth included leading KCH management team’s nearly $40 million in capital investment projects.
“Although I’ll miss the fulfillment of this position, I’m confident with the leadership team at Kona Community Hospital and the West Hawaii Region,” Kreuzer said in a March news release about his retirement.