Anthony D. “Tony” Pfitzer, who has served as interim CEO for St. Joseph Health System since January, has been appointed as President and CEO of St. Joseph Health System.

Pfitzer’s appointment came as a joint announcement from the SJHS Board of Trustees and the Board of Franciscan Services Corporation, the sponsored health and human services ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio. The announcement completes a 5-month search and selection process conducted by a CEO Selection Committee comprised of St. Joseph and FSC board members.

“We had a number of exceptional candidates to consider during the search process,” said George Nelson, Chairman of the SJHS Board who served as chair of the search committee. “We are very happy with the selection of Tony as the system health leader. In his time with St. Joseph, Tony has proven himself as an effective leader and team builder in working with the medical staff and the more than 2,300 team members who are the foundation of St. Joseph.”

For the past three years Pfitzer served first as Chief Operating officer then as Chief Executive Officer for the 275-bed St. Joseph Regional Health Center. He has previously served in leadership roles for hospitals in Illinois, Montana, and Missouri during his 28-year healthcare career. Pfitzer holds an MBA from Southern Illinois University and a Masters of Health Administration from St. Louis University Medical Center.

“I have tremendous appreciation for how committed our medical staff and team members are in caring for patients and residents,” said Pfitzer. “They have worked very hard to earn the respect and trust of communities throughout the region as a health care leader.”

As CEO of St. Joseph Health System, he will work to provide leadership and strategic direction for system organizations, which include four hospitals, a rehabilitation center, two long term care facilities, a physician services corporation, a managed care corporation, eight rural health clinics, and St. Joseph Foundation.

Pfitzer said St. Joseph will continue to improve access to health services throughout the region, invest in technology advances and push to continually improve quality. ”We know how important convenience is and have worked to make St. Joseph health services more accessible for residents by opening more physician practices, clinics, and urgent care centers,” said Pfitzer. “We also want to continue to be recognized as a quality-driven organization with great clinical outcomes, such as the exceptional results for our cardiac and stroke programs. In the past five years we have made tremendous strides in what we offer to the community” said Pfitzer, specifically recognizing their orthopedic and neurosurgical programs.

St. Joseph Health System
Establish in 1936, St. Joseph Health System of Bryan includes St. Joseph Regional Health Center, St. Joseph Rehabilitation Center, two long-term care facilities, three critical access hospitals, eight rural health clinics, a managed care division, St. Joseph Foundation and a property company. St. Joseph Health System serves an extended 7-county area of the Brazos Valley and is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio.