Candio Honored For Service To Hospitals

Christine M. Candio, FACHE, president and CEO of St. Luke’s Health Corporation, was awarded the Missouri Hospital Association Distinguished Service Award for her ongoing commitment to improving health care policy and leadership in Missouri and throughout the nation. The award, the highest honor given by MHA, was presented to Candio on Thursday, Nov. 7, during MHA’s 97th Annual Convention & Trade Show in Osage Beach, Mo.

“Chris exemplifies both leadership and service,” said Herb B. Kuhn, MHA president and CEO. “Her service, not only as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives but also as a Past Chairman of the organization, reflects her commitment to improving health care in both the organization she serves and throughout the entire health care industry. She’s also been an effective voice at the state and national levels for policies that strengthen hospitals and, as a result, the communities they serve.”

Candio has served health care organizations for many years as a leader, both locally, regionally and nationally. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives — an international professional society of more than 40,000 health care executives who lead hospitals, health care systems and other health care organizations — and is a Past Chairman of the organization. In 2019, she was the recipient of the ACHE Gold Medal Award. She also is a fierce advocate for health policy. Working on the state and national stages, she has advocated for policies that support strong, sustainable hospitals.

Beginning her career as a nurse, Candio progressed through nursing leadership ranks at several hospitals and gained extensive health care operations and senior executive leadership experience in both acute care and outpatient settings throughout the past three decades.

Candio earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from William Paterson University of New Jersey in Wayne, N.J., and a Master of Public Administration with a focus in health care management from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, N.J.

NOTE: A video honoring Candio is availble online. Click the photo in the news release for a print-ready version.