Allen Carroll, the longtime Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital chief executive officer who helped develop the West Ashley hospital into a national-award winning institution, has announced his decision to retire in May.
Allen spent the last 27 years leading Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, which is one of Roper St. Francis’ three flagship hospitals.
“I’m not sure what the future holds, but my wife, Mindy, and two grown daughters are fully supportive of my decision,” Carroll said. “I’m ready to turn the page and write the next chapter of my life.”
Allen moved to Charleston and assumed the chief operating officer role of Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in 1990. Soon after, he was asked to devote his energy to the clinical service planning, construction and relocation of the downtown facility to its current location in West Ashley. It was his vision that transformed 90-acres of undeveloped land into an awe-inspiring place of healing that will serve generations to come. Allen was named chief executive officer in 1995.
When the Roper St. Francis merger occurred in 1998, Allen’s role expanded again to include vice president of operations for the system. His duties continued to grow in 2015 as he assumed executive leadership for the planning of the new Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital campus. Roper St. Francis is exploring a part-time consultative relationship with Carroll related to that project.
“Allen’s gift has been elevating the culture of compassionate care at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital while boosting the overall quality of the hospital’s services,” said Lorraine Lutton, president and chief executive officer of Roper St Francis. “He has guided the hospital to become a nationally recognized center of excellence. Our entire healthcare system benefited from Allen’s thoughtful, purposeful and visionary leadership, and we wish him every success as he enters this next phase of his life.”
Becker’s Hospital Review named Carroll one of the 100 Leaders of Great Hospitals in America in 2013. Under Carroll’s leadership, the hospital twice has earned prestigious Magnet Hospital recognition based on its superior nursing team, has been listed on multiple occasions among the Top 100 hospitals by Truven Health Analytics, and it was among 83 hospitals in the country to achieve a five-star rating in the most recent federal rating system.
The hospital also has ranked in the top 10 percent nationally for 15 consecutive years for its teammate engagement scores, which measure how vested each teammate is in the mission and ministry of the hospital.
Since announcing his retirement, Carroll has been adamant that Roper St. Francis not hold any event in his honor but instead asked for the creation of a fund to help teammates who are struggling with illness and face unexpected medical bills. As a way to honor Allen and Mindy Carroll, the Roper St. Francis Foundation has established the Allen and Mindy Carroll Teammate Medical Assistance Fund. Any donations to the fund will be used to help teammates pay unanticipated Roper St. Francis medical bills.
If you’d like to support the fund, you can:
Click this link to make a donation. Select the “Allen and Mindy Carrol Medical Assistance Fund” from the dropdown menu.
Mail a check to the Roper St. Francis Foundation. Checks should be made out to the Roper St. Francis Foundation with “Allen and Mindy Carroll Teammate Medical Assistance Fund” written in the “For” line at the bottom. Checks should be mailed to the Roper St. Francis Foundation, 125 Doughty Street, Suite 790, Charleston, SC 29403.
Call the RSF Foundation at 843-720-1205.
Photo provided: Allen Carroll stands with Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone.
