Riley Hospital chief to leave Indiana for Seattle

Dr. Jeff Sperring, who has led Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health for the past three years, is leaving Indiana to head up a children's hospital in Seattle.

Sperring, who has been at Riley since 2002, will become the new chief executive officer for Seattle Children's in early May, the hospital announced in a news release Thursday. He served as Riley's chief medical officer for three years before he was promoted to president and chief executive officer.

During his tenure at Riley, the hospital dedicated its new 10-story Simon Family Tower, which expanded Riley's capacity by 100 beds. He also helped develop a plan to expand Riley's services to encompass a statewide system for pediatric care.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to lead one of the best children's hospitals in the country," Sperring said in a news release. "Seattle Children's already has a tremendous track record, and I look forward to carrying the torch to help bolster its ability to develop cures for pediatric disease and provide the highest level of care to every child in need."

Sperring, who could not be reached for comment Thursday evening, said in an interview shortly after taking the helm at Riley in 2012 that he hoped he could make that hospital synonymous with pediatric care throughout the state of Indiana for ill children and their parents.

"We want to be the children's hospital for the state of Indiana," he said. "I want them to feel like Riley is their hospital."

Call Star reporter Shari Rudavsky at (317) 444-6354. Follow her on Twitter: @srudavsky.