The VP of operations and critical care for Maine Medical Center will lead Southern Maine Health Care's operations.
Southern Maine Health Care (SMHC), a nonprofit health system that is a part of the MaineHealth system, recently announced it has found its next COO.
Kathryn Cope, who currently serves as VP of operations and critical care for Maine Medical Center (MMC), the flagship hospital of MaineHealth, will lead the system's operations.
"Kathryn is an experienced health care executive with more than 25 years of experience in acute care clinical operations, finance, and service line strategy," Joel Botler, MD, chief medical officer and interim president of MaineHealth's Southern Region, which includes both SMHC and MMC, said in a statement. "Her experience as a community-oriented collaborator with proven skills in advancing innovative solutions to complex challenges make her a perfect fit for SMHC."
Cope has served as VP of operations and critical care at Maine Medical Center since 2019. Prior to that, she served as VP of neuroscience and critical care service lines for Maine Medical Center, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Cope succeeds Nathan Howell, who was selected to serve as president and CEO of MaineGeneral Health, a nonprofit health system affiliated with MaineHealth. He begins his new role on July 1.
In other recent leadership news, the president of MaineHealth Southern Region, Jeff Sanders, announced he will be departing the organization this summer. Currently, Botler serves as interim president.
"I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve the patients and care team members of Maine Medical Center and MaineHealth," Sanders said in a statement. "As a Mainer with close connections to MMC, I am proud to support this community and the timing is right for my transition to pursue new opportunities."
Melanie Blackman is a contributing editor for strategy, marketing, and human resources at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.