HCA Midwest Health names Katie Bruels, DNP, RN, as Chief Nursing Executive

Overland Park, KS — Today, HCA Midwest Health, Kansas City's largest healthcare provider, named Katie Bruels, DNP, RN, as Chief Nursing Executive (CNE), effective June 17. Bruels, most recently Chief Operating Officer at Menorah Medical Center, will be responsible for nursing operations, nursing practices and retention, care experience, nursing informatics and nursing education throughout HCA Midwest Health. She will also build on clinical excellence, including deploying and streamlining best practices to enhance nurse and physician collaboration.

Bruels joined HCA Midwest Health in 2019 as Menorah Medical Center’s chief nursing officer, a position she held for four years before advancing to the COO role in 2023. Bruels excels at leading high-performing teams, and during her time at Menorah Medical Center, she helped increase colleague and physician engagement, decrease nursing turnover, increase patient satisfaction and establish a shared governance structure for all departments. Under Bruels’ leadership, the hospital also achieved top-quality scores by utilizing innovative nursing practices, establishing daily safety huddles and quality protocols, and ensuring clinical teams deliver an exceptional patient experience. As a result, Menorah Medical Center is a Pathway-designated facility by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, which deems it as a best place to work thanks to its positive environment that allows nurses to flourish.

Before joining HCA Midwest Health, Bruels served as assistant chief nursing officer and vice president of Adult Patient Care Services at Medical City Healthcare in Dallas, Texas, part of HCA’s North Texas Division. She also worked in HCA’s Far West Division as associate chief nursing officer and director of the Clinical Decision Unit for Mountainview Hospital, as well as clinical director of patient services and manager of adult emergency department and trauma for Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. In addition, Bruels has worked in various clinical roles at hospitals in North Dakota, Nevada and Alaska.

“With Katie’s strong relational leadership and quality-driven focus, I am confident that she will help continue to elevate nursing throughout HCA Midwest Health,” said President Keith Zimmerman. “She is passionate about helping colleagues find their path, advance their careers and achieve personal success, which directly correlates with the high-quality and compassionate patient care and experience delivered throughout HCA Midwest Health’s many access points throughout the region.”

“Providing colleagues opportunities to learn, grow and lead is at the core of HCA Healthcare, and it makes me proud to be part of this amazing team at HCA Midwest Health,” Bruels said. “Empowering others to innovate, share their voices and advocate for a care-first culture are key aspects of our new Nurse Forward strategy, which will help further advance the patient-centered approach delivered by our excellent and motivated nursing teams.”

Bruels earned her RN and BSN degrees from Presentation College in South Dakota, her MSN from Grand Canyon University in Arizona and her DNP with a focus in organizational leadership from Graceland University in Independence.