John DiAngelo's Farewell

Since I announced my retirement as president and CEO of Inspira in January, I’ve spent a great deal of time reflecting on the last 20 years of my tenure, and what we’ve built together. Now, as I enter my final month with you, I am proud and humbled to see how far we have come. I started my career with Inspira in 2000, with a commitment to provide high-quality health care to every single person in this community. Since I took on the position of CEO in 2014, we’ve done just that, and so much more – vastly expanding access to our services and driving medical innovation to better serve you.

Today, Inspira covers five counties, with 150+ points of access for residents – but that wasn’t always the case. It’s hard to believe that what began just eight years ago, with the coming together of South Jersey Healthcare and Underwood Memorial, has grown into the regionally recognized network we know and rely on today. In that time, we’ve more than doubled our access points to care, including the development of 10 new urgent care centers. Two years ago, we also greatly expanded our facilities at Inspira Medical Center Vineland, and just last year, we opened the medical center in Mullica Hill, as well as the adjacent leading-edge cancer center. Although we couldn’t predict the situation we are in now, the smart investment we made in these expansions over the last few years positioned us extremely well to respond to the current pandemic and ensure the safe, high-quality care of patients.

Throughout my years as CEO, nothing has come close to the pride I feel whenever I accept a national award that acknowledges the quality of the patient care we deliver at our facilities. These honors are testaments to the extraordinary dedication the entire staff puts into providing a superior health care experience for our patients and the local community every day. The rigorous standards for these awards are ones Inspira takes very seriously.

In addition to expanding access to high-quality care, my focus as CEO has been driving innovation. Integral to this work was the launch of the Inspira Innovation Center, which accelerates the development and implementation of forward-thinking, patient-focused technologies. We also established a $1 million Innovation Fund to as the start-up investment of approved programs, such as Health+, which allows patients with chronic conditions—and their care team—to actively monitor their health via telemedicine and wearables.

As a brand-new hospital, innovation is also at the core of Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill. I’m proud to say that the hospital offers the latest in medical and communication innovation, including SmartRoom technology, and is one of the smartest hospitals in the region.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also acknowledge Inspira’s commitment to serving the community in our community. I’m immensely proud to say that during my time as CEO, Inspira has provided over half a billion dollars in community benefit activities and programs, often serving our neighbors impacted by homelessness or the opioid epidemic. Inspira provides support to the Cumberland County Housing First Collaborative (CCHFC), a unique consortium committed to tackling chronic homelessness. We also distribute Narcan to local law enforcement.

Upon reflection, it’s bittersweet to retire from an organization that has accomplished so much, but I rest assured that it’s being left in very capable hands. I’m delighted to pass the baton to Amy B. Mansue. Amy is a seasoned health care leader and the perfect person to propel the organization forward so it can continue to provide high-quality care to patients. We’re all lucky to have her.

Thank you, South Jersey, for the last twenty years. I’m honored to have served you. Stay well.