Patients First Health Care Hires New CFO

Patients First Health Care leaders named Rene Crosswhite as chief financial officer. 

Crosswhite is responsible for the financial management of the organization's 21 locations, including primary care, 20 specialties and six treatment centers.

Restructuring Patients First leadership team is part of a three-phase plan the company announced in August.

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Crosswhite has more than 20 years of experience in the health care industry. She most recently was vice president of financial analytics and planning for Mercy Health System. In that role, she led and directed the financial planning, assessment and support of market development strategies. She coordinated the annual operational and capital budget process and long-range financial planning activities across the organization in concert with hospital chielf financial officers and other senior leaders. She also led financial planning efforts for Mercy’s community master planning process.

“We are very pleased to have Rene on the team,” said Joseph Gubbels, chief executive officer of Patients First, in a company news release.  “Rene will help us add structure to our financial decision making, forecast for the future and benchmark Patients First with other multispecialty groups. We are committed to remaining independent, and keeping care local for the people of this community. The addition of Rene and steps Patients First is taking now will enable us to optimize patient care and improve patient service into the future.”

Crosswhite completed her master's degree from Webster University in St. Louis and bachelor's degree from University of Missouri in St. Louis.  She is a certified public accountant, and is a member of Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants and Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Patients First Health Care was established in 1998 as a physician-directed organization.