Martha’s Vineyard Hospital will be entering the new year under new leadership.
It was announced on Tuesday that Claire Seguin will be the next president and chief operation officer of the hospital. She will start her new role on Jan. 1. Seguin is taking over the position from Denise Schepici, who announced her retirement in September.
“It is an honor to serve this community and to lead a team that is so deeply committed to caring for our community,” Seguin said in a press release.
In her statement, Seguin made a commitment to investing in the hospital and highlighted her priorities, which included improved access to care, strengthening the hospital’s primary care services, and continued partnerships with Island organizations to address various health issues, like “tick-borne illness as a public health crisis, food and housing insecurity, and elder transportation.”
“Claire consistently set the standard throughout a thoughtful and transparent search process,” said Rebecca Haag, chair of the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital board, in the release. “She brings a deep understanding of the hospital, a collaborative leadership style, and a clear commitment to the Island community. We are confident she will lead the hospital forward in ways that strengthen care for those we serve.”
Seguin currently serves as chief nursing officer and vice president of operations at the hospital. She also serves as chief nursing officer at Nantucket Cottage Hospital and as interim vice president of operations for the community division of Mass General Brigham, the parent organization of the hospital. She also teaches students as a clinical lecturer at Harvard Medical School and as an adjunct faculty member at the MGH Institute of Health Professions.
Before coming to the Vineyard, Seguin was the associate chief quality officer at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is currently a 2027 fellow in the Health Management Academy and a graduate of the Massachusetts Health Leadership College.
“Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and the Vineyard community are fortunate to have Claire as their new president,” Schepici said in a statement. “She is a gifted leader with a steady presence and a passionate devotion to patient care. Having worked with Claire for the last seven years, I am confident in her abilities which will be needed to keep Martha’s Vineyard Hospital at the forefront of great medical care and in developing a skilled and talented workforce for the future.”
best possible choice. The hospital will be in good hands.
Let us hope that she will allow a patient’s Primary Care Physician to coordinate their patient’s care and that she will not continue to use clerks and nurses to insulate the physicians from their patients by means of messages submitted to them through the Patient Gateway never making it to the physician to whom they were addressed! How can a physician care for a patient from whom they are not allowed to hear?
Are patients and doctors prohibited from having direct communications?
Are doctors subservient to the hospital president?
Who is their employer of record?
That is a question which would best be directed to the OWNER of Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. That would be Massachusetts General Brigham.
That’s unfortunate and perhaps talking to the physician would be helpful. That hasn’t been my experience with the various doctors I see regularly.
That’s a lot of hats to be wearing for a new president of the hospital. The article doesn’t mention her withdrawing from any of them. There is only so many hours in the day to make sure you are doing your best at your primary job.
It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which, as CEO, she continues to serve as CNO and COO; these are critical roles in a hospital, each with their own scope and purview. Has there been news of a succession plan or search?
The American Organization of Nurse Leaders (AONL) advocates that a CNO have DMP or MBA preparation and posses, at a minimum, a baccalaureate degree in nursing. Having worked alongside industry COO’s, I know the minimum entry requirement to be an undergraduate degree in business, though most hold MBAs. Fortunately, our small hospital’s workforce includes many staff with these credentials.
Undoubtedly, identifying even one new executive officer is a complex process, often involving a wide, external search. I hope Ms. Seguin and the Board also give thoughtful consideration to the highly qualified internal candidates already here. Perhaps some are waiting for an invitation to lead.
Excellent choice. Claire is extremely diligent, caring, and intelligent. The Hospital is in good hands.