St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children names Jodi Coombs its new interim chief executive
Coombs, coming from Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, is replacing Rob Brooks, who held the same title since Feb. 2024.
St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children on Monday named Jodi Coombs as its interim CEO. The hospital executive from Missouri is replacing Rob Brooks, who has been in that job since Feb. 2024.
Coombs, a neonatal intensive-care nurse by training, most recently worked as executive vice president and chief operating officer at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. Her five-year tenure at the 390-bed hospital ended in September.
Children’s Mercy is significantly larger than St. Chris. It had $2 billion in revenue in the year that ended June 30, 2024. During the same period, St. Chris had $313.5 million in revenue.
The appointment of a new interim CEO comes as St. Chris’ financial condition is improving, thanks to state aid. The hospital is benefiting especially from its addition to the Philadelphia Hospital Assessment, which is expected to generate $76 million a year for five years for the safety-net hospital.
Coombs starts Tuesday. Despite the use of the interim title, St. Chris is not conducting a national search for a new CEO, according to a spokesperson for the North Philadelphia nonprofit.
The last permanent CEO at St. Chris was Don Mueller, who held the job from summer 2020 through early last year. Mueller did not permanently relocate to the region. State health officials blamed safety lapses at the hospital on Mueller’s absence in 2023 and ordered him to be in Philadelphia five days a week.
St. Chris did not make Coombs or any board members available for interviews Monday. Drexel University and Tower Health own St. Chris in a 50-50 joint venture.