Leadership Transition Announced for St. Francis Medical Center
April 29, 2022
MONROE, LA – St. Francis Medical Center President, Kristin Wolkart, RN, will be leaving St. Francis Medical Center to assume the role of Executive Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer for the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Health System (FMOLHS), parent organization for St. Francis Medical Center. Thomas Gullatt, MD, currently serving as the Chief Medical Officer at St. Francis, has been named President for the North Louisiana Market which includes St. Francis Medical Center.
Richard Vath, MD, FMOLHS President and CEO said, "I am pleased to have leaders of this caliber as both Dr. Gullatt and Kristin will be instrumental in guiding essential elements of our organization. Their gifts and talents are invaluable both to our Monroe market and the system as a whole. These moves, effective June 5th, complement my strategic vision for our system future which emphasizes high performance and high value throughout our Catholic healthcare ministry."
Dr. Gullatt has served the FMOLHS ministry since 2004 when he began the Hospital Medicine Intensivist program at St. Francis. As a board-certified Pulmonologist, he has been instrumental in the expansion of the Intensivist role at St. Francis as well as its integration into the overall care model for St. Francis Medical Center and Medical Group. Dr. Gullatt currently serves as President of the St. Francis Medical Group, Chief Medical Officer for the medical center, and Designated Institutional Officer for St. Francis’ entry into academic medicine. Dr. Gullatt completed his medical training at LSU Medical Center in Shreveport including both Residency in Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Fellowship.
A registered nurse and fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, Wolkart has served the northeast region since being named Market President in 2014. She first joined the organization in 1995 at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Gonzales and later transitioned in 2007 to serve the broader health system organization leading nursing informatics as well as special projects. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from Kennedy-Western University. Wolkart has been an active member of the Monroe community building partnerships to help strengthen one of the most challenging healthcare markets in Louisiana.
Health System Chief Operating Officer Kevin Cook adds, “Dr. Gullatt’s confident presence and leadership during the pandemic earned the respect of both physician peers and the broader system team and I’m impressed with his knowledge of the Monroe region and our continued opportunities to serve the community. Likewise, Kristin is a proven expert in continual performance improvement and transformation and we welcome her unique insights for our integrated operations and our nurses today and beyond.”
"I am excited for these changes and confident in the contributions Dr. Gullatt and Kristin will continue bringing to our ministry. Both of these colleagues are enthusiastically committed to our mission, service excellence and the people of Louisiana and Mississippi," added Dr. Vath.
About St. Francis Health
St. Francis Health is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare ministry based in Monroe, Louisiana, with more than 1,800 team members committed to caring for those we serve. With a 328-bed medical center, acute-care hospital, freestanding outpatient center, over 20 outpatient clinics and nearly 350 physician partners, for more than 100 years, St. Francis has provided comprehensive healthcare services for a variety of medical and surgical specialties. St. Francis offers Northeast Louisiana’s only Level 3 NICU, Level 3 OB and Level 2 PICU services. St. Francis Medical Center leads the region in heart and vascular services, critical care, and complex and minimally invasive surgical procedures. The hospital offers a designated Level 3 Trauma Program, Graduate Medical Education Program, Accredited Chest Pain Center, and Centers of Excellence in the areas of obstetrics, bariatric surgery, robotic surgery, minimally invasive gynecology, and breast health. St. Francis is part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and is driven by its mission to serve all God’s people, especially those most in need. For more information, visit stfran.com.