Biography

John Derse is a Senior Partner at Mercer, where he leads the firm’s Healthcare Provider Industry practice. Based in Charlotte, NC, Derse has been with Mercer for over 30 years, specializing in people strategy, including strategy alignment, change management, workforce analytics, and rewards. He provides comprehensive strategic advice on the design, implementation, and operation of human capital and HR functions.

Derse has led successful projects for several prominent academic health systems across the US. At a respected central US health system, he directed initiatives in human capital strategy, total rewards, nurse retention, and leadership development, guiding the organization through post-merger integration and strategic planning.

At another large health system, Derse oversaw the implementation of a new technology platform across HR, finance, and supply chain, managing change and developing new role architectures. He also led predictive workforce analytics at a southeastern US health system, linking nurse turnover to patient outcomes and focusing on the needs of a growing Ambulatory Division.

Derse is also recognized for leading the team that developed Mercer’s US Healthcare Labor Analysis, completed in 2021. This research focused on the serious shortage of available healthcare talent and how organizations can respond. Derse holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Lawrence University.