Mestas to retire as USA Health’s chief nursing officer
“She has served as a mentor for countless nurses through the years. Her legacy of passion for patient-centered care will carry forward with all she has touched,” said John V. Marymont, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for medical affairs at the University of South Alabama and dean of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine.
Lisa Mestas, R.N., M.S.N., B.A.S., chief nursing officer for USA Health since 2015, will be retiring Aug. 12, 2022. A reception to honor Mestas will be held that day from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Café Conference Room on the second floor of University Hospital.
“The people's lives I have touched through improving patient care, expanding services and access to our community, and mentoring a highly developed, diverse team of nurse leaders define my contribution to USA Health,” she said.
Mestas started at USA Medical Center (now University Hospital) in 2006 as perioperative manager and overseeing the GI lab. Volume growth during her tenure there led to the expansion not only of the GI lab, but also the necessary PACU areas.
In 2011, she was promoted to University Hospital assistant administrator for clinical services and CNO for the hospital before being named associate administrator and system CNO in 2015.
During the past seven years, Mestas either has led or participated in many of the programs associated with the rapid expansion of USA Health. Some of these are not always visible to patients but include:
- Expansion of inpatient services including GI/endoscopy and interventional radiology, as well as outpatient infusion;
- Multiple physical renovations and expansions at University Hospital that have taken the facility from staffing just over 120 beds to staffing nearly 300 and include renovating the 10th and 11th floors into patient care areas, a neuroscience ICU, trauma stepdown unit and emergency department expansion including the construction of the Fanny Meisler Trauma Center;
- Expansion of the Women’s Complex Surgical Care Unit at Children’s & Women’s Hospital;
- Creation of a USA Health Transfer Center;
- Four successful triannual Joint Commission surveys;
- Mentoring countless MSN and DNP candidates from the USA College of Nursing.
“Lisa has been a transformational leader for us at USA Health,” said Owen Bailey, M.S.H.A., F.A.C.H.E., chief executive officer of USA Health. “When she arrived, she saw the potential that we had and was instrumental in helping make it a reality. Her efforts result in patients at USA Health receiving the highest levels of care.”
In addition to providing direct patient care and serving as an administrator, Mestas has been an author or co-author on textbooks and research publications related to nursing care delivery, the creation of new care models and more.
“Lisa’s impact on USA Health is obvious through our enhanced nursing professionals, processes that result in better outcomes for our patients and creating a nursing leadership development program,” said John V. Marymont, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for medical affairs at the University of South Alabama and dean of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine. “She has served as a mentor for countless nurses through the years. Her legacy of passion for patient-centered care will carry forward with all she has touched.”
Prior to joining USA Health, Mestas spent four years at Providence Hospital in Mobile as director of nursing and director of perioperative systems. She also has worked at Biloxi (Miss.) Regional Medical Center, Columbia Garden Park in Gulfport, Miss., Gulf Coast Medical Center in Biloxi, and Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Mich.
Mestas has been recognized for her accomplishments. Awards throughout her career include the 2020 University of South Alabama College of Nursing Alumni Award for Excellence in Leadership, the 2015 Alabama State Nurses Association Outstanding Nursing Administrator, and the American Academic Colleges of Nursing 2014 Academic-Practice Partnership Award.
