Ellen Cleary was placed as the director of surgical services for Centegra Health System in Crystal Lake, Illinois. The health system is comprised of the 128-bed Centegra Hospital-Woodstock, the 179-bed Centegra Hospital-McHenry, and the 128-bed Centegra Hospital-Huntley, and is ranked among an elite group of hospitals in the nation for the level of care it provides as a comprehensive community-based healthcare system, both in quality and patient satisfaction. In her role, Ellen is responsible for planning and directing the operations of ambulatory surgery, ambulatory treatment services, the operating room, sterile processing, same-day surgery, scheduling, and the PACU. In cooperation with the administrative and medical leadership team, she provides strategic and operational leadership in the areas of personnel, budget and equipment management, process improvement activities, policies and procedures, strategic planning, and strategic marketing plans.
Prior to joining Centegra, Ellen served as the director of surgical and endoscopic services at the 350-bed Edward Hospital in Naperville, Illinois, which processed approximately 16,000 surgical cases per year. There, she managed 16 ORs, as well as six endoscopy suites, a department of sterile processing, and anesthesia techs. During her tenure, Ellen restructured OR staffing and scheduling to improve efficiencies, initiated and implemented a successful recycling and reprocessing program, and maximized Group Purchasing Organization contract value through standardization and reduction of inventory. All of the departments under her scope of responsibility reflected a reduction in turnover rates, and her oversight of capital and operational budgets resulted in system and hospital cost reductions.
Ellen began her career as a staff nurse in the operating room of Elmhurst Memorial Hospital in Elmhurst, Illinois, where she was ultimately promoted to assistant manager. She also held a staff nursing role in a multi-specialty, physician-owned, freestanding ambulatory surgical center before joining Edward Hospital.
Ellen is originally from the southwest side of Chicago. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Elmhurst College, and an MBA from National Louis University. Outside of work, Ellen is an active athlete and daily runner with a special enthusiasm for live music performances. She is a member of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses and of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates.
QLK’s Scott Sammon led the search to recruit Ellen to Centegra.
