Methodist Health System Announces New Vice-President Leadership

OMAHA —  John Fraser, president and CEO of Methodist Health System, has announced four new vice presidents in the areas of clinical services, integrated service, strategy and quality/performance improvement.

Steve Goeser, who has served as president and chief executive officer of Methodist Hospital since 2007, will also serve as vice president of clinical services for Methodist Health System.

In addition to his current responsibilities for Methodist Hospital and Methodist Women’s Hospital, Goeser will assume administrative responsibility for Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital, Methodist Physicians Clinic, Nebraska Methodist College and Shared Service Systems.

Goeser joined Methodist Hospital in June 2004 as vice president. In that position, he was responsible for the administrative direction of the hospital’s home health program, the Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center and the departments of Pastoral Services, Volunteers in Partnership (VIP), medical records, transcription, referral communications, and the hospital and state tumor registries.  

Prior to joining Methodist Hospital, Goeser served as the chief executive officer of Myrtue Memorial Hospital, Shelby County Medical Corporation and the Prairie Rose Mental Health Center in Harlan, Iowa. He had previously been administrator and chief executive officer at Orange City Municipal Hospital and Medical Clinic in Orange City, Iowa.

Goeser earned his bachelor’s degree at Creighton University and his master’s of business administration in health care administration from City University in Bellevue, Washington.

Appointed to the role of vice president of integrated service is Don Matson, a 13-year veteran with Methodist Health System. Previously Matson was director of integrated service and also held the title of team leader.

In his new role, Matson will continue to oversee the management of Methodist Health System’s integrated service division which provides support and services to patients and clinical staff. The division consists of 50 managers in 15 departments and 600-plus employees.   

Food service has always been a part of Matson’s career, having served 11 years in management for a contract company which catered foods for over 60 domestic and international airlines. He also was a consultant for a national pizza chain, was a general manager in the restaurant industry and was the food service director in a long-term care community.

A native of Ohio, Matson received his bachelor’s degree from Ohio Northern University and obtained a master’s in divinity from United Theological Seminary in Dayton.

Matson is past vice chairman of the board of directors for WasteCap Nebraska, is president of the Nebraska Association of Nutrition and Food Service Professionals and a board member of the Cross Training Center.

Ann Polich, MD is the new vice president of quality/performance improvement, having joined the Methodist Health System organization after a 10 year stint with the Nebraska Western-Iowa VA Health Care System. Since 2008 she was the associate chief of staff for patient safety.

In her new role, Dr. Polich will oversee Methodist Health System’s efforts to improve clinical quality and support patient safety. Her responsibilities include implementing Joint Commission recommendations and helping the system meet national patient safety goals. 

A graduate of Rockhurst College and the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Dr. Polich completed her residency training in internal medicine at Creighton University. She worked as a primary care physician in Kansas and served as SW Medical Director for the KU School of Medicine with duties including placement and education of fourth year medical students in rural settings. 

A notable accomplishment for Dr. Polich while at the Omaha VA was the establishment of the chief resident for quality and safety position in 2008. The position was created to enhance their ability to care for Veterans by redesigning medical education and patient care to include the area of quality and patient safety.

While managing her duties at the VA, Dr. Polich has continued to work as an associate professor at Creighton University Medical Center as well as serving as a contributing faculty member at University of Nebraska Medical Center -  teaching medical students and residents patient safety and quality.          

An active member of the community, Dr. Polich has served on the Blue Cross Blue Shield quality board as well as their policy committee for several years.  She has also participated for many years in the VA Stand Down.  

Jeff Prochazka, former director of planning for Methodist Health System, is now vice president of strategic planning and business development.  Serving in this capacity, his primary responsibility is the development of strategic and tactical plans for the health system and its affiliates.  Additional duties include new business development, facilities master planning and financial analysis.

Prochazka began his career at Methodist as a project manager in the information technology division.  In that role he led many software implementations with an emphasis on process reengineering throughout clinical and administrative functional areas.

He began his career as a business consultant for Arthur Anderson, LLP.  Serving large corporations in construction, telecommunications, and banking industries, he was an expert in supply chain and enterprise resource planning software solutions.

As a community leader, Prochazka is involved with the Omaha Metro YMCA, having served as board treasurer and a member of the board executive committee.  He also participates with Douglas County Community Health Improvement Planning and the Great Plains Pop Warner organization. He is also an adjunct professor in the department of continuing studies at UNO.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Nebraska and master’s degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a graduate minor in management information systems.