St. Louis Children’s Hospital (SLCH) and Washington University Physicians have announced the leadership team for the new St. Louis Children’s Specialty Care Center (CSCC) set to open in June at Mason Road and I-64 in Town and Country. The goal of the CSCC is to establish a new model for delivering patient-centric, highly efficient care of the highest quality that will differentiate Children’s and the School of Medicine in the community.
Surgical Co-Directors
Ambulatory surgery is a key program for achieving this goal. Daniel Nieva, MD, Washington University pediatric anesthesiologist, and David Leonard, MB, BCh, Washington University pediatric otolaryngologist, have been appointed surgical co-directors to lead the perioperative and surgical services at the CSCC in partnership with SLCH. They will work with the site’s operating room manager and WUSM Washington University pediatric surgeons to optimize throughput of the operating rooms and related perioperative services. Other responsibilities will include overseeing patient safety and quality assurance, facilitating teamwork and allocating resources.
Dr. Nieva earned his medical degree at the University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City. He completed his anesthesia residency at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Manhattan, N.Y., and a pediatric anesthesiology fellowship at WUSM.
Dr. Leonard received his medical degree from the National University of Ireland, University College of Dublin, School of Medicine. He completed an otolaryngology – head and neck surgery residency at the Irish Higher Surgical Training Scheme, Dublin, and a pediatric otolaryngology fellowship at Harvard Medical School, Boston.
Director, Department of Pediatrics
Robert Rothbaum, MD, Centennial Professor of Pediatrics at WUSM and clinical director of gastroenterology and nutrition and the IBD center at SLCH, will serve as the CSCC’s department of pediatrics medical director. Dr. Rothbaum received his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and completed his pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition residency and fellowship at SLCH/WUSM. Dr. Rothbaum joined the School of Medicine faculty in 1982. He is a past president of the SLCH medical staff and chairman of the medical executive committee. Dr. Rothbaum helped spearhead the development of Children’s Direct, a physician access line and service.
WUSM Clinical Operations Lead
Kelley Mullen, senior director of clinical operations for the Washington University Faculty Practice Plan, will be responsible for coordination of patient scheduling, daily operational needs, patient experience and implementation of policies and procedures in Washington University clinical spaces at the CSCC. Kelley has been with WUSM for 20 years and was involved with start-up and ongoing operations at the Center for Advanced Medicine, The Orthopedic Center in Chesterfield, and WUSM operations at the South County outpatient facility. Kelley worked as a registered nurse at Barnes-Jewish Hospital prior to joining the Faculty Practice Plan. She brings a focus on service and satisfaction for every patient encounter, in addition to her expert knowledge of outpatient clinic operations.
CSCC Director
Julie Bruns has been appointed the SLCH director of the CSCC responsible for all Children’s Hospital operational functions at the facility. In this capacity, she will coordinate closely with Mullen and Drs. Nieva, Leonard and Rothbaum.
In a joint announcement, Rick Majzun, vice president, SLCH operations and vice president, Women & Infants, Barnes-Jewish Hospital/SLCH; and Jeannette St. Aubin, executive director, Physicians Practice Development and Analysis, stated, “Julie’s ability to work successfully across the multiple entities of BJC, SLCH and WUSM make her uniquely qualified for this opportunity. Her strength in project management and operational implementation and history of successful partnership with SLCH’s community physicians have prepared her to lead a successful opening of the first pediatric-only specialty care center in St. Louis County.”
Bruns retains oversight of the BJC and SLCH call center and market research functions. Restructuring will result in the transition of some of Bruns’ current responsibilities to other call center leaders, providing her with the time and focus needed for the CSCC.
Bruns joined the former Barnes Hospital in 1991, prior to the merger of hospitals that created BJC HealthCare.
Learn more about the new Specialty Care Center.
