Rempher Named EVP and Chief Nurse Executive at Cone Health

Kenneth Rempher, PhD, RN, MS, MBA, CENP, has been named executive vice president and chief nurse executive at Cone Health, effective August 22. He will be responsible for setting the standards for nursing practice and continuously improving the quality and safety of patient care.

Kenneth Rempher, PhD, RN

“Kenneth is a highly collaborative leader with a proven track record of developing creative and innovative solutions to advance the practice of nursing and serve patients across the continuum of care,” said Cone Health’s Chief Operating Officer Judy Schanel. “We are looking forward to the broad strategic thinking that Kenneth will bring to our leadership team.”

As chief nursing officer at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and University of Iowa Health Care, he led efforts to dramatically reduce nursing vacancies, promote nurse retention and consistently earn Magnet™ status. In 2014, Rempher’s health system received the prestigious Magnet Prize™, awarded to only one health system annually. He has also served on global, multidisciplinary teams aimed at improving value, quality and service across the entire continuum of care.

“Cone Health has a national reputation for excellence and an innovative vision for leading in the future of health care,” Rempher said. “I am equally impressed by the genuine caring and positive energy I have seen from team members at every level of this organization, and I am eager to partner with this team to advance the evolution of nursing and patient care.”

Rempher began his career as a nursing assistant and then a bedside nurse in the areas of emergency services, critical care and cardiovascular surgery. He held a variety of progressive nursing leadership roles including associate vice president for patient care services at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore before joining the University of Iowa system in 2012. He has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Minnesota, a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Maryland, a master’s in business administration from the University of Baltimore and a PhD from the University of Maryland. In addition, he is an associate dean and professor at the University of Iowa College of Nursing, and serves on many regional and national health care boards and committees.