Ardent Health Services today announced the appointments of Anika Gardenhire, RN, BSN, MMCI, as chief digital information officer and Joe DeSchryver as president of Ardent’s Americas Region.

“We are excited to welcome Anika and Joe to Ardent,” said Marty Bonick, president and CEO of Ardent. “As we continue to evolve to better meet the needs of the communities we serve, having disciplined operations and a refined and well-executed digital health strategy is essential to delivering the best care possible. Anika and Joe are proven leaders with unique healthcare backgrounds, and I’m excited for the perspective and knowledge they bring to our team.”

As chief digital information officer, Gardenhire will lead the development of Ardent’s digital strategy to support continued growth across its operations and work with regional leaders to execute digital initiatives with a focus on leveraging data to support digital transformation. She will also oversee Ardent's IT infrastructure and systems, in partnership with Chief Information Officer Rick Keller, as well as data strategy and governance.

An experienced caregiver and clinical informatics leader, Gardenhire joins Ardent from Centene Corporation where she most recently served as chief customer experience officer and previously as chief digital officer. Prior to joining Centene, she was assistant vice president of digital transformation at Intermountain Healthcare. Gardenhire completed her bachelor of science in nursing at the University of South Carolina’s Mary Black School of Nursing and received master’s degrees in clinical informatics and management from Duke University.

“Healthcare continues to grow with a focus on digital capabilities that are mutually beneficial for patients and caregivers – improving quality care and experience while enhancing operations,” said Gardenhire. “Ardent has positioned itself as a leader in piloting and implementing innovative technologies at scale, and I look forward to working with leaders and team members to build an experience that makes healthcare better and more seamless for all involved.”

In his role as Americas Region president, DeSchryver will oversee Ardent’s operations in Idaho, Kansas and New Jersey. Working with local leadership teams, he will be responsible for advancing Ardent’s efforts to ensure clinical and operational excellence and expand access to care. With more than two decades of healthcare operations and leadership experience, he has held executive roles with Tenet Healthcare and HCA Healthcare across California and Florida. Prior to joining Ardent, he served as south region president for Steward Health Care. DeSchryver completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Southern California and holds an MBA and master’s in healthcare administration from Arizona State University.

“Ardent prioritizes strategies that improve quality and access to care in each of the communities it serves,” said DeSchryver. “I’m excited to work with providers and team members across the organization as we continue evolving to provide consumers with the right care, at the right time and in the right setting – all while supporting the caregivers who make it possible.”

About Ardent Health Services

Ardent Health Services is a leading provider of healthcare in communities across the country. With a focus on consumer-friendly processes and investments in innovative services and technologies, Ardent is passionate about making healthcare better and easier to access. Through its subsidiaries, Ardent owns and operates 30 hospitals and 200+ sites of care with more than 1,400 aligned providers in six states. Learn more at ArdentHealth.com.

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