Jennifer Eslinger has been named Rochester Regional Health’s president of health care operations and chief operating officer. In the newly created system leadership role, she will focus on operational excellence and health care delivery innovation, officials say.
Eslinger is slated to join RRH Sept. 12. She will assume executive oversight for strategy implementation, system integration, care delivery transformation and regional growth.
“Jennifer is uniquely and exceptionally qualified for this new role, and we are thrilled to have her join our team,” says RRH CEO Richard “Chip” Davis. “I had the opportunity to work with Jennifer at Henry Ford (Health) and witnessed first-hand her remarkable talents and enthusiasm for modernizing the health care delivery model in innovative ways that yield consistently excellent results for patients, employees, and the area communities served.”
Eslinger comes to Rochester after a role as president of Henry Ford Health’s Wyandotte and Downriver market in Michigan. There, Eslinger was responsible for a 401-bed teaching hospital, off-campus free-standing emergency department, ambulatory surgery center, inpatient behavioral health hospital, inpatient acute rehabilitation hospital, long-term acute care, and more than 20 ambulatory clinic sites. (Davis served as senior vice president and CEO of Henry Ford Health’s South Market and Henry Ford Hospital.)
Eslinger played an instrumental role in strategic growth and operational initiatives that led to the financial turnaround of the Downriver market in just a few short years, RRH officials say. At Henry Ford, Eslinger launched clinical programs, giving patients access to comprehensive care closer to home, and oversaw the strategic growth oversight team for the system.
A native of Georgia, Eslinger has served in other leadership roles as well. She was president of Mobile Infirmary in Mobile, Ala., before joining Henry Ford.
Eslinger’s appointment at RRH comes after Kevin Casey M.D., president of Rochester General Health, stepped down from his position in June. Eslinger’s role, however, is a systemwide position.
Smriti Jacob is Rochester Beacon managing editor. The Beacon welcomes comments from readers who adhere to our comment policy including use of their full, real name.