North Kansas City Hospital President & CEO to Retire After 25 Years

(North Kansas City, Mo. May 14, 2019) Peggy Schmitt, president and chief executive officer of North Kansas City Hospital and Meritas Health, announced her retirement, effective at the end of 2019.

“It has been an incredible privilege and honor to be a member of the North Kansas City Hospital team for over 25 years,” she said. “I will be forever grateful for the confidence and trust that I have been given over the years by our Board of Trustees, our medical staff, our leadership team and our employees.”

Peggy served as a vice president and the hospital’s general counsel for nearly two decades before being named president and CEO in 2012.

Before earning her law degree at Yale University, Peggy received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Missouri. After working as a registered nurse, she launched a successful healthcare- focused law career. Peggy’s clinical experience and legal training gave her a unique perspective that made her a natural fit to lead a healthcare facility.

“The opportunities that I have had to serve and lead this incredible organization have been very meaningful to me,” Peggy said when announcing her departure.

As president and CEO, she always placed a focus on high-quality patient care and outstanding outcomes.

“One of my goals was to continue promoting a hospital-wide culture of respect and collaboration to ensure the best patient outcomes and the highest level of patient care,” Peggy said.

NKCH earned Magnet® designation in 2018. With only 8.6% (474) of U.S. hospitals having this designation, Magnet is the highest achievement a hospital can receive for nursing excellence. “Although
we had consistently operated with Magnet principles for quite some time, we were excited when it became official,” Peggy said of the honor.

During Peggy’s tenure, the expansion of hospital access points, services and specialized medical staff enabled the hospital to achieve significant market share and volume growth. Also under her leadership, NKCH established an oncology partnership with The University of Kansas Cancer Center in 2014. Furthering efforts to enhance patient care in the Northland, this collaboration gives NKCH patients access to clinical trials only available at the nation’s leading cancer centers.

“The hospital has been fortunate to have such an engaged leader,” said Rebecca Welbern, chair of the Board of Trustees for NKCH. “For nearly three decades, Peggy has been instrumental in making key decisions that have successfully enhanced patient care, finances and the culture of the hospital.”

Throughout her NKCH career, Peggy has been very active in the Northland. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce and previously served on the Board of Directors for Synergy Services.

Peggy will remain in her role until the hospital’s board selects her successor to ensure a smooth and positive transition.

About North Kansas City Hospital and Meritas Health

For more than half a century, North Kansas City Hospital has been the Northland’s preferred healthcare provider. NKCH is an acute-care facility with 451 licensed beds and 550 physicians representing 49 medical specialties. From a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, to award-winning cardiovascular and orthopedic programs, to home health and hospice, NKCH provides a lifetime of care.

In 2018, NKCH earned Magnet® designation, the highest achievement for nursing excellence. The hospital’s oncology partnership with The University of Kansas Cancer Center provides our patients access to clinical trials only available at the nation’s leading cancer centers.

Through its Meritas Health subsidiary, NKCH offers the largest network of provider practices in the Northland, with more than 140 primary and specialty care physicians in 30 convenient locations, including express care clinics in the Liberty, Gladstone and 64th Street Hy-Vee stores.

NKCH also operates Wellness Corners located in the North Kansas City YMCA, the Gladstone Community Center and Zona Rosa shopping center. The Wellness Corners offer free blood pressure checks; the opportunity to talk with a nurse; programming on obesity, diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease; health fairs and basic screenings; and wellness events.

The hospital’s mission, vision and values reflect a strong commitment to the health and well-being of the Northland community and beyond. Each year, NKCH sponsors approximately 60 charitable and community organizations and serves more than 24,000 people through its dynamic Community Health & Wellness programs.

Explore North Kansas City Hospital’s full range of services at nkch.org, and discover all the services Meritas Health offers at MeritasHealth.com.

For More Information:

Libby Hastert
North Kansas City Hospital
Office: 816.691.3069
Cell: 816.518.0425
Email: Libby.Hastert@nkch.org