Jessica Thompson Melton, MHA, named to new UF Health chief transformation officer role
Press release from UF Health
BY GREG HARRISON
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Jessica Thompson Melton, MHA, has been named the UF Health chief transformation officer, a new role that will focus on fostering a culture of continuous improvement, driving meaningful strategic change, and enhancing organizational effectiveness on behalf of the state’s premier academic health system.
Melton will join the organization on Oct. 14 from the Johns Hopkins Health System, where she served as vice president of strategic initiatives, leading an enterprise-wide strategic transformation team focused on maximizing health system alignment, customer centricity, and enterprise efficiency. Her work included the assessment and optimization of enterprise-wide business processes, administrative and clinical technologies, and operating models tied to the strategic roadmap.
“Jessica will play an integral part as we work together across the enterprise to foster a dynamic and forward-thinking workplace,” said Steve Motew, M.D., M.H.A., FACS, president and system CEO of the UF Health clinical enterprise. “She will lead initiatives that support our strategic goals, drive innovation, and ensure our vision and values are deeply embedded in every facet of our operations.”
The new role will be pivotal in shaping and advancing organizational culture, ensuring UF Health’s mission, vision, and values are reflected in every aspect of the work environment, Motew added.
“Jessica will work closely with all areas to promote our core values, enhance employee engagement, and drive efforts that support our mission of providing exceptional, compassionate care to our communities,” he said.
In addition, Melton will work collaboratively to innovate clinical and operational processes that leverage leading-edge technology and best practices to enhance patient care, operational efficiency, and overall organizational performance. With a deep background in mentorship, she also will work to develop future leaders within the organization.
Prior to her most recent role at Johns Hopkins, she was president and chief operating officer of Bethesda, Maryland-based Suburban Hospital, also part of the Johns Hopkins Health System. Other career highlights include serving as interim president and chief operating officer of Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Sentara Heart Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, and numerous leadership positions with Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. She is also a certified executive coach through the International Coaching Federation and holds a Six Sigma Greenbelt certification.
A double graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Melton earned a master’s degree in health administration with concentrations in quality and finance. She has made many contributions to the profession, serving as a member of the Maryland Hospital Association board and as a member of several professional organizations, including the National Association of Healthcare Executives and the American College of Healthcare Executives, among others. In addition, she is the recipient of numerous awards recognizing her professional and community contributions.
“. . strategic initiatives, leading an enterprise-wide strategic transformation team focused on maximizing health system alignment, customer centricity, and enterprise efficiency. Her work included the assessment and optimization of enterprise-wide business processes, administrative and clinical technologies, and operating models tied to the strategic roadmap.” Sounds like she’s gonna make what can be, system-wide, unburdened by what has been.
Right now UFhealth while one entity has each hospital (Gainesville, Jacksonville, Central Florida and Flagler) running independently still. The new head of UFhealth Dr. Motew has publicly said that his goal is to change that and merge all hospitals and departments into one entity.
It sounds like this new employee will be leading that initiative.
“The new role will be pivotal in shaping and advancing organizational culture, ensuring UF Health’s mission, vision, and values are reflected in every aspect of the work environment, Motew added.”
Hopefully this isn’t ‘code’ wording for all that DEI and woke BS?
Don’t forget the “footprint” of corporate double speak and glad handing.
“a new role that will focus on fostering a culture of continuous improvement, driving meaningful strategic change, and enhancing organizational effectiveness on behalf of the state’s premier academic health system.”
One order of Corporate Word Salad, coming right up!
No wonder Sasse hired Motew. He’s also fluent in successory-poster-speak that sounds forward-thinking, innovative and meaningful but, while full of sound and fury, signifies nothing.
And our state funds (which pay for UF salaries and Shands salaries, so don’t fool yourself that we’re not the ones being ripped off by this garbage) will support her high salary and benefits while she, no doubt, makes hard-working people at UF Health miserable for the foreseeable future.
Thank you, DeSantis, for the trickle-down effect of installing Sasse in a job for which he was woefully unqualified. Instead he exploited his position and looted everything he could from UF’s coffers until he got caught.
Applause all around for the grifters who claim they’ll clean up the swamp.