Advocate Aurora Health, an integrated health system based in the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, today announced that Jim Skogsbergh will become the organization’s sole president and CEO, effective immediately. Skogsbergh has jointly run the 28-hospital Advocate Aurora Health alongside co-president and co-CEO Nick Turkal, M.D. Advocate Aurora Health, one of the 10 largest not-for-profit, integrated health systems in the United States, since April 2018, when the system was formed through the merger of Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care.
Advocate Aurora Health is a leading employer in the Midwest with more than 70,000 employees, including more than 22,000 nurses and the region’s largest employed medical staff and home health organization. The system serves nearly 3 million patients annually in northeastern Illinois and eastern Wisconsin, across more than 500 sites of care.
“After a thorough review with the assistance of an independent advisor, the Board has made the decision to move to a single CEO model to best position us to advance our strategy moving forward,” said Joanne Disch, chair of the board. “We have been fortunate to come together as Advocate Aurora Health under the leadership and expertise of two tremendous individuals, and we express our sincerest gratitude to both Nick and Jim for their outstanding contributions. The Board is confident Jim is uniquely positioned to guide our system into the future by transforming our core business and redefining how we help people live well. He has earned national acclaim for his visionary leadership and laser focus on safety, value-based care and consumer-first strategies that will continue to propel our organization forward.”
A longtime executive with Advocate Health care, Skogsbergh, 61, joined the system in 2001 as chief operating officer and was promoted to president and CEO in 2002. Under his leadership, Advocate Health Care was recognized as a national leader for its clinical successes, technological innovation, workplace culture and safety excellence. Previously, Skogsbergh was executive vice president of Iowa Health System and president and CEO of Iowa Methodist, Iowa Lutheran and Blank Children’s Hospitals. He also played a management role in the 10-hospital statewide Iowa Health System. He began his career in hospital administration in 1982 as an administrative resident with Memorial Health System of South Bend, Ind.
