Ascension Formalizes Efforts to Strengthen International Healthcare

Ascension has announced the creation of Ascension Holdings International, a new unit to extend the ministry and its mission globally in support of its call to lead the transformation of healthcare and strengthen the Catholic health ministry internationally.

"Ascension Holdings International will take a strategic approach to international markets," said Anthony R. Tersigni, EdD, FACHE, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ascension. "Our aim is to serve our mission by meeting unmet needs, helping others, transferring learning both to and from other countries, and earning a return on our investment. This supports our focus on providing compassionate, personalized care for all with special attention to people living in poverty and those most vulnerable."

The new unit will focus on diversifying Ascension's financial platform, gaining broad exposure and early access to the growing environment of innovative ideas and thinking from other parts of the world, Tersigni said.

Ascension Holdings International will be a unit of the existing Ascension subsidiary -- Ascension Holdings.  Ascension Holdings President and CEO John D. Doyle also will serve as CEO of Ascension Holdings International.

"As we expand our engagement with international markets, Ascension Holdings International will focus on select regions and countries based on population size, safety and stability, rule of law, and business environment," Doyle said. "We will begin by taking advantage of existing Ascension strengths and capabilities that can benefit healthcare providers in those markets. We expect this approach to open the door to further opportunities to engage with local partners where we can bring value and, in turn, receive value."

Another important focus will be to collaborate with Catholic healthcare providers internationally to explore ways to work together in regional or national arrangements.

To help lead its efforts, Ascension Holdings International welcomes two leaders with deep experience and strengths.

Jim Bonnette, MD, will serve as Managing Director, International Relationship Development, and Phoebe Yang, JD, will serve as Managing Director, International Strategic Design and Implementation.

Together, Dr. Bonnette and Yang will create and execute business development strategies for Ascension Holdings International. As part of this work, they will assess and identify Ascension capabilities and innovations for international commercialization and lead development and incubation of those capabilities in appropriate markets, leveraging Ascension businesses, solutions and talent across the international marketplace.

About Jim Bonnette, MD

Dr. Bonnette has worked in virtually every area of U.S. healthcare, from private practice, to health maintenance organizations, to hospital systems, to pharma. Most recently he has been sharing lessons he has learned from the U.S. healthcare system with organizations and governments in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Spain, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Southeast Asia, through his role as Executive Vice President, Head of Strategy Consulting at The Advisory Board Company.

Dr. Bonnette joined The Advisory Board in May 2014, after serving as Chief Medical Officer at management consulting firm Oliver Wyman, where he was head of the Global Provider Strategic Consulting Practice. Before that he was Chief Medical Officer at Genesys Health in Grand Blanc, part of Ascension Michigan. Earlier he held leadership numerous roles in hospitals, health systems and medical consultancies. He was a practicing internist for 20 years in California, known for his innovation and tenacity in creating new models of care delivery. He earned a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, and his medical degree from the Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine in Portland, with further training in pharmacoeconomics.

About Phoebe Yang, JD

Yang is transitioning from MissionPoint Health Partners, part of Ascension Care Management, where she has served as Chief Strategy Officer. Since joining MissionPoint in 2013, she has built and managed the population health startup's Strategic Solutions, Strategic Analytics and Market Architecture teams. She led development of a portfolio of new solutions and capability enhancements to diversify the organization's revenue base and move into alternative risk-based offerings.

Earlier, Yang served as an advisor on healthcare provider-led point of care services and incubation strategies with Rock Water Ventures. She also was Senior Advisor to the CEO and Managing Director, Corporate Development of The Advisory Board Company, and Senior Advisor to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, where she served on two White House task forces on healthcare and IT. Her earlier work included serving as Vice President, International Business Development, and Vice President, Corporate Development, for Discovery Communications LLC; Vice President, International Strategy and Policy for AOL Time Warner; and Special Coordinator for China Rule of Law for the U.S. State Department. Yang earned a Bachelor of Arts with Honors at the University of Virginia, where she achieved membership in the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. She earned a Juris Doctor at Stanford University Law School, where she served as President and Editor-in-Chief of the Stanford Law Review.