Thomas named chief nursing officer at UHS Hospitals

Peggy A. Thomas, MSN, RN, CENP, has joined UHS Hospitals in Greater Binghamton as vice president for Nursing and chief nursing officer. 

With more than 30 years’ experience in nursing, Ms. Thomas comes to UHS Hospitals from Syracuse, where she has served in a number of nursing leadership roles at St. Joseph’s Health and at the State University of New York’s Upstate Medical University.

At St. Joseph’s she held such posts as director of Invasive Services, Medical Imaging and Cardiology from 2014 to 2017, and as administrator for Perioperative Services from 2017 to 2019. 

She has been deputy director of Nursing at Upstate Medical University’s Upstate Community Hospital since 2020.

In her new position, she is responsible for the oversight of nursing practice and the delivery of nursing care throughout UHS Hospitals, a member organization of the UHS healthcare system in Greater Binghamton.

Ms. Thomas earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Keuka College in Keuka Park, N.Y., in 2012, and a master’s in nursing leadership and management from the Western Governors’ University in 2014.

She is a certified instructor in “Just Culture,” an accountability approach used by major healthcare organizations, as well as a certified “Green Belt” in Lean Six Sigma, the nationally accepted performance improvement method employed at UHS and many other companies.

From 2020 to 2022 she served as president of the Syracuse chapter of the American Heart Association.

“Ms. Thomas is a nursing executive with the proven ability to motivate and lead cross-functional teams to achieve an outstanding patient experience, engage colleagues and positively influence the health of populations,” said John M. Carrigg, president and chief executive officer of UHS.  “She brings to our organization valuable skills in setting a vision and outcome goals for the Nursing Division.”

Kay Boland, RN, senior vice president, chief nursing officer and chief operating officer of the UHS healthcare system, said:  “Ms. Thomas embraces all of the Values of UHS, and is committed to ensuring that the patient is the center of everything we do.  She has an outstanding background in transformational leadership that will help us drive the future of quality care and collaboration as we continue achieving success.”

Ms. Thomas commented:  “I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to serve as chief nursing officer of UHS Hospitals and to be able to support this organization in its caring mission.  I am also grateful for the welcoming and supportive atmosphere I have experienced from everyone at UHS as I have begun my new duties.”