September 24, 2007
St. Luke’s Community Medical Center – The Woodlands CEO Debra Sukin named to “Up and Comers List” by Modern Healthcare

The Woodlands, TX – Debra Sukin, Chief Executive Officer of  St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital, is listed as one of the nation’s “Up and Comers in Healthcare” by Modern Healthcare magazine. This prestigious ranking, announced on Monday, September 17, includes only 12 healthcare managers.

Modern Healthcare’s 21st annual “Up and Comers List,” which recognizes rising young management talent in the healthcare industry, was based on some 120 nominations. Voters were asked to designate healthcare professionals under the age of 40, who are demonstrating that they have the credentials and leadership skills to influence the healthcare delivery system.

“We could not be more pleased that Debra has achieved such a noteworthy distinction,” said David J. Fine, President, and CEO, St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System. “Her credentials are impeccable, and we’re not the least bit surprised that her accomplishments and credibility are known on a national level. We’re lucky to have her.”

Over the past 15 years, Sukin has served in various roles since receiving a Master in Health Administration from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.  She completed a postgraduate fellowship at Duke University Hospital and Health System.

Debra Sukin joined the St. Luke’s family in 2002 as Assistant Vice President, Support Services of St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital, where she assembled a management team and hired the 250 employees who opened the hospital. Before being appointed Chief Executive Officer in February 2006, she served as Chief Operating Officer as well. As the doors opened, her role of initiating department operations transitioned to an intense focus on managing the financial success of the hospital.

Today, in her role as CEO she is developing a medical center campus to meet the needs of a rapidly growing suburban community with sophisticated expectations of healthcare.  After eighteen months in her current role, SLTWH is fulfilling the vision she developed.

Four years after opening, Sukin sought Board approval for a second 90-bed patient care tower that broke ground in the summer of 2007.  She launched her own community Board with key leaders from The Woodlands area to assist in St. Luke’s realization of its strategic vision.  To address the growing demands and long wait times in the hospital emergency room, St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital is opening a 12,000 square foot freestanding facility in the community this fall for urgent care.  The hospital has also broken ground on a second minor emergency center to support its urgent care strategy.

Sukin has coupled the System Vision of quality with developing programs with the medical staff.  Most notable, St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital launched a comprehensive heart program in 2005. With strong medical staff leadership in both cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital has implemented every aspect of the program true to their culture of quality.

Sukin said, “It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by Modern Healthcare and my peers.  I am honored to serve for a System who supports me in building a campus focused on quality and dedicated to meeting the needs of The Woodlands community.”

Michael Richmond, chairman of SLTWH board of directors, added, “We are proud of Debbie’s recognition by Modern Healthcare magazine.  Her intelligence coupled with her energy provides her the ability to envision future opportunities and fully execute them.”

St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System comprises the flagship St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, founded in 1954 by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas; St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital, opened in 2003; St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities, a charity devoted exclusively to assessing and enhancing community health, not just for ill-care but for lifelong health and well-being; and Kelsey-Seybold Management, LLP, overseeing 21 area clinic locations. St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital is home to the Texas Heart® Institute, founded in 1962 by Denton A. Cooley, MD, and consistently ranked among the top 10 cardiology and heart surgery centers in the nation by U.S.News & World Report. Affiliated with several nursing schools and two medical schools, it serves as the primary adult teaching hospital for Baylor College of Medicine. St. Luke’s was the first hospital in Texas named a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence, and the Health System has been recognized by FORTUNE as among the “100 Best Companies to Work For” (2002 and 2004) and by Houston Business Journal as the top healthcare employer in Houston for three consecutive years.