Mercy Fort Smith president adds Rogers hospital to his responsibilities
The president of Mercy Hospital Fort Smith will now also become the president of Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas in Rogers.
Ryan Gehrig, who has been the president of Mercy Hospital Fort Smith for 10 years, will now step into the role of president of Mercy Hospitals Arkansas, according to a press release.
In Fort Smith, Gehrig has been responsible for expanding services including a new emergency room and intensive care buildout that will open in 2024. He also participated in opening a rehabilitation hospital and Ronald McDonald House that opened in 2021.
“Mercy has deep roots in both communities, and as Arkansas continues to grow at a rapid rate, it’s important our teams take a one-Mercy approach so we can continue to provide the highest quality, compassionate, faith-based care to the people we serve,” said John Mohart, president of Mercy communities, who leads operations for all Mercy hospitals, in a press release. “Ryan is uniquely suited to unify our efforts in Arkansas and provide a seamless approach to care and service that best meets the needs of people in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley.”
Eric Pianalto, who is now the president of Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas, will transition to his new position as chief strategic growth officer for Mercy Arkansas.
“Eric has an affinity for this work, and we know his experience and great ability to collaborate with physicians is just what’s needed to support the future success of Mercy Clinic across Arkansas as we chart our future development in the region,” said Jeff Ciaramita, Mercy’s chief physician executive, in a press release. “We are deeply thankful for Eric’s leadership in building our hospital in Rogers into an amazing place and grateful that he is excited to take on this new role for Mercy as we expand in the region.”
Pianalto and Gehrig will continue to work together to benefit Mercy Arkansas.
“Ryan and Eric have had an exceptional working relationship for many years, and both are very invested in Mercy’s future and growth as the leading health care provider in the region,” Mohart said in a press release.
Prior to his work at Mercy, Gehrig worked as the vice president of enterprise systems and chief administrative officer for Moore Medical Center in Norman Oklahoma. Before that, he served as the chief operating officer of Wesley Medical Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, as CEO and chief operating officer of Bristow Medical Center in Bristow, Oklahoma and as chief operating officer of Cushing Regional Hospital in Cushing,
Oklahoma.
Alex Gladden is a University of Arkansas graduate. She previously reported for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and The Jonesboro Sun before joining the Times Record. She can be contacted at agladden@swtimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Mercy Fort Smith president adds Rogers hospital to his responsibilities
