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Chief Healthcare Executive

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Kathy Gersch is chief commercial officer and founder of Kotter International

To navigate the integration process successfully, healthcare executives must take steps to best align their people with the vision for the newly combined organization.

What leaders need to know: A roadmap for healthcare M&A integration | Viewpoint

Healthcare organizations must adopt a pragmatic and intentional approach that integrates training into routinely scheduled programs.

Investing in continuous learning for healthcare professionals is non-negotiable | Viewpoint

By 2050, it's estimated that 139 million people worldwide will have dementia, but by today's standards, 60% will be undiagnosed. It's clear that there's a significant gap in dementia detection and care, but what can your organization do about it?

Get perspectives from clinical leaders and neuroscience experts about the underlying causes and consequences of these gaps, practical opportunities to address them, and a proven roadmap that shows how leading health systems have successfully transformed their dementia screening and care processes.

Closing the Dementia Care Gap: Expert Insights and Proven Strategies for Health Systems

Discover the latest trends and effective data-driven strategies for managing and preventing claim denials with our detailed 2024 Denials Index for Providers. This report provides an in-depth analysis of the root causes and solutions within revenue cycle management.

Unlock insights into hospital claim denials with the 2024 Denials Index for Providers

Rishi Sikka, MD, has been named the next CEO of Presbyterian Healthcare Services.

He will begin leading New Mexico’s largest health system on Oct. 21. Presbyterian operates nine hospitals, a health plan, and a medical group.

, who is retiring after 23 years with Presbyterian.

He previously served as president of Village Medical, a primary care provider. He formerly served as president of system enterprises for Sutter Health in California.

Sikka was appointed to Presbyterian’s board of directors in 2016.

“It is an honor to join Presbyterian at this pivotal time in healthcare,” Sikka said in a statement.

“I’m deeply inspired by Presbyterian’s purpose - to ensure every New Mexican can achieve their best health - and am fully committed to advancing that mission alongside an incredible team dedicated to providing compassionate, quality care for our communities,” he said. “Together, we will navigate the evolving healthcare landscape, innovate, and strive to deliver on our purpose in new ways for every patient and member we serve.”

Norm Becker, chair of Presbyterian’s board, said he is “thrilled” that Sikka will be leading the health system.

“Dr. Sikka is a compassionate, innovative physician executive with deep knowledge of complex systems and more than 20 years of leadership experience across the healthcare industry,” Becker said in a statement.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital names first chief data scientist

M. Madan Babu has been named the inaugural chief data scientist of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Babu is taking charge of St. Jude’s newly created office of data science, which will have a budget of $195 million and 115 positions.

“St. Jude is a unique place and I am honored to lead this initiative,” Babu said in a statement. “With our intellectual ecosystem of talented clinical, experimental and data scientists united under the same mission, there’s no better place than St. Jude to build a data science enterprise of this magnitude.”

Babu joined St. Jude in 2020. He previously spent 14 years as a program leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England.

James R. Downing, MD, president and CEO of St. Jude, praised the experience of Babu and touted the importance of the new office .

“Under the leadership of Dr. Babu, a globally recognized expert in this field, our Office of Data Science will strengthen data-sharing between the lab and the clinic, accelerating our progress in finding cures and developing treatments for children with catastrophic diseases,” Downing said in a statement.

Inova Health System names leader of clinical enterprise

John Moynihan, MD, has been named president and chief of clinical enterprise of the Inova Health System in Virginia.

Moynihan will oversee all of Inova’s healthcare sites and clinical service lines. He’ll also be responsible for the system’s clinical transformation strategy. He has been serving in an acting capacity since March 2024.

He spent many as a community physician with the organization and has held a number of leadership roles.

“I am honored to step into this role and continue my work as an advocate for physicians,” Moynihan said in a statement. “I look forward to partnering with Inova’s physician leaders and strengthening relationships with our medical community. Together, we will drive innovation, foster collaboration, and ultimately elevate the quality of care we provide to our patients.”

Stephen Jones, MD, president and CEO of Inova, lauded Moynihan’s experience with the system.

“John has been a trusted leader and long-time partner in our mission to provide world-class healthcare,” Jones said in a statement.

Kittitas Valley Healthcare CEO announces plans to retire

Julie Petersen, who has served as CEO of Kittitas Valley Healthcare in Washington for several years, has announced her plans to retire.

Petersen plans to step down at the end of 2024. She began serving as interim CEO in June 2016 and took the position permanently beginning in March 2017.

Under Petersen’s leadership, the system has added a 24-hour outpatient retail pharmacy, in-patient dialysis and digital mammography services. Kittitas also integrated behavioral health services in the system’s primary care clinics, along with expanded cardiology, neurology and wound care.

Kittitas Valley says it’s negotiating with Jason Adler, the system’s chief financial officer, to be the next CEO of the organization.

A public hospital district, Kittitas serves patients in a rural area in central Washington state.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital names its first chief data scientist, and other leaders make news.

Topic

Presbyterian Healthcare Services selects new CEO, and more | MED MOVES

LeWanza Harris, MD, has been named the new chief quality officer of Emory Healthcare.

Harris began her new role on Sept. 30. The system says she will work to promote a culture of safety and help utilize technology to improve patient outcomes.

She previously worked with Mount Sinai Health System in New York, where she served as vice president of quality and regulatory affairs. Earlier, she also served as associate chief quality officer at New York-Presbyterian.

“Emory Healthcare is a preeminent academic leader in clinical research, health care and education,” Harris said in a statement. “I am truly excited to join a transformational team to leverage collaborations and an engaged ecosystem to continue to drive data-driven innovations that further promote the safest and best quality care for the patients and communities served.”

Harris was chosen for the post after Emory launched a nationwide search.

Joon S. Lee, MD, CEO of Emory Healthcare, described Harris as “a change agent with a proven track record of leading impactful patient safety initiatives.”

“Emory Healthcare will benefit from her expertise in clinical quality functions and leadership, as we continue our mission of exceptional, high-quality patient care," Lee said in a statement.

TriStar Skyline Medical Center selects new CEO

Brian Marger has been appointed the new chief executive officer of TriStar Skyline Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.

The hospital is part of HCA Healthcare. Previously, Marger served as the regional vice president for cancer services with Sarah Cannon Cancer Network at the HCA Healthcare TriStar Division.

"I’m excited to join the TriStar Skyline family and look forward to working with this team of physicians, colleagues and board members to continue delivering top-tier care in the Nashville area and beyond," Marger said in a statement.

Marger has served in several leadership roles within HCA Healthcare. He previously served as chief executive officer of TriStar Summit Medical Center and chief operating officer at TriStar Centennial Medical Center. He also served as CEO of Onsite Women’s Health before choosing to come back to HCA Healthcare.

Mitch Edgeworth, president of the HCA Healthcare Tristar Division, welcomed him to TriStar Skyline. Edgeworth said in a statement that Marger “has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our mission to improve human life through his dedication to superior, patient-centered care.”

“As a veteran healthcare leader, Brian will continue elevating clinical excellence across TriStar Skyline while fostering a positive organization culture among colleagues and physicians,” Edgeworth said.

After serving in an interim capacity, Dr. Mathew Weimer has been named the new president and chief executive officer of Valley Health Systems.

The organization serves patients in West Virginia and parts of Ohio and Kentucky.

Weimer had served as the interim leader for two months, but now he’s been tabbed to lead the organization going forward. He previously served as Valley Health’s vice president of health services and chief medical officer. He will continue to serve as chief interim medical officer for the time being, until the organization finds a replacement.

A family physician, Weimer played a key role in the COVID-19 pandemic, leading community testing and vaccination efforts, the system said.

Weimer said in a statement that he is “humbled and grateful” to lead the organization.

“Alongside 1,000 fellow Valley Health employees and under the direction of a dedicated board of directors, I am committed to achieving our mission of providing quality health care to all individuals regardless of their ability to pay,” he said. “I am also deeply committed to building our collaborative relationships and look forward to working with community partners for the betterment of the people we serve.”

Shasta Regional Medical Center appoints new CEO

Sam Itani has been named the new chief executive officer of Shasta Regional Medical Center, a Prime Healthcare hospital in Redding, Calif.

Itani began his new role as CEO of the 226-bed hospital in mid-September. He brings more than three decades of healthcare leadership experience to the post.

For the past three years, he served as the CEO of Southwest Healthcare-Corona Regional Medical Center, a 259-bed hospital in Corona, Calif. In that role, Itani expanded service lines and the hospital improved patient outcomes, the system said.

Previously, Itani spent more than two decades with Adventist Health in Bakersfield, Calif., where he served as senior vice president of operations. In that role, he helped oversee the development of a breast center and a chest pain center.




An HCA Healthcare hospital in Nashville gets a new CEO, and other leaders are taking on new positions.

Emory Healthcare names new chief quality officer, and more | MED MOVES

With Hurricane Milton steaming toward Florida’s west coast, some of the state’s hospitals have evacuated, while others are transferring patients and closing clinics ahead of the storm.

As of Wednesday, 16 Florida hospitals have evacuated, according to Florida state officials. A total of 352 healthcare facilities, including 200 assisted living centers and 67 nursing homes, have evacuated ahead of Milton, state health officials say.

Milton appears to be headed for the Tampa Bay region, which experienced heavy flooding from Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago. Helene delivered plenty of damage to Florida, and 

many healthcare workers lost their homes in that storm

, said Mary Mayhew, president and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association.

Now, they’re bracing for a storm that could be even worse.

“Everything we're hearing is that this has the potential to be historically catastrophic, but it is also compounded by an area of the state that just suffered significant damage from Helene,” Mayhew said.

While some Florida hospitals are evacuating and moving patients, many hospitals are going to be open, or are at least keeping emergency rooms open through the storm.

“We have hospitals evacuating, but we have other hospitals, of course, that have made the decision that they can keep their patients safe,” Mayhew said. “They are remaining open. There will be a significant need for hospital services because of the impact of the storm. It’s important that those services are available 24/7.”

Helping hospital workers who suffered losses from Helene

The National Weather Service in Tampa Bay said Milton could be the most powerful hurricane to hit Tampa Bay in 100 years. Early Wednesday, Milton remained a “Category 4” hurricane, with sustained winds of 155 miles per hour, the weather service said.

But hospitals beyond the Tampa region could be facing significant flooding.

“It's not just the eye of this storm,” Mayhew said. “The extent of the surge and how far down the coast that will extend.”

Magnifying the challenge, Milton is expected to remain at hurricane strength as it moves across Florida, posing threats to a wide swath of communities. “The East Coast, Daytona Beach, they could still be experiencing a Category 2 hurricane,” Mayhew said.

Most hospitals are staying open, and facilities on the coast have transferred patients to sister hospitals in their system, or other hospitals, Mayhew said.

But Mayhew said problems may arise if flooding from Milton forces other hospitals to move other patients or evacuate, because plenty of Florida hospitals are packed.

“If there are hospitals that find it necessary to partially or fully evacuate, if they don't have other hospitals within their system that can receive or they are an independent hospital, the state will be helping to coordinate where there is capacity elsewhere,” Mayhew said. “Again, a lot of hospitals are already largely full, so this is going to require significant coordination.”

While forecasters warned of powerful winds capable of producing significant damage, hospitals are most concerned about flooding of their facilities.

“Flooding is the most significant concern and threat to hospitals, both in terms of damage to their buildings, impacting electrical,” Mayhew said. “Then it would be creating challenges for transportation to and from the hospital, for patients, for staff, so that is front and center.”

Tampa General Hospital is remaining open and has installed its “

,” a barrier designed to protect the main hospital campus from storm surge. The main hospital campus sits on an island in Hillsborough Bay.

Erinn Skiba, assistant director of public safety for Tampa General Hospital, said the organization has detailed plans in place to serve patients in the storm.

“Our fence around the Davis Islands campus is up, supplies are stocked at all hospital locations, and the teams stand ready to provide care through Hurricane Milton,” Skiba said in a statement.

The fence withstood heavy flooding from Helene, and it’s going to be tested again. Tampa General could face a difficult test with Milton, as the National Weather Service said Wednesday that the peak storm surge in Tampa could reach 8 to 12 feet. The AquaFence barrier is designed to prevent surges of up to 15 feet above sea level.

Tampa General built a new energy plant in 2022 to provide more resilience in Florida’s extreme weather. The plant sits 33 feet above sea level.

In addition to the main hospital campus, Tampa General’s hospitals in Brooksville, Spring Hill and Crystal River are staying open. Some freestanding emergency departments, clinics and outpatient facilities will be closed.

HCA Healthcare operates more than 40 hospitals in Florida, and the health system has evacuated some of its facilities.

 has evacuated West Tampa Hospital, Bayonet Point Hospital, Pasadena Hospital and Englewood Hospital and transferred patients to other facilities. A few HCA Florida hospitals are open for emergencies only, and HCA has also closed several freestanding emergency rooms.

In addition to dealing with another hurricane in Florida, HCA also operates seven hospitals in 

, including Mission Hospital in Asheville. 

 are assisting hospitals in the region in the wake of widespread destruction from Helene.

The BayCare Health System is keeping most of its hospitals open, but Morton Plant North Bay Hospital has been closed, the system said. The system has postponed all non-emergency surgeries Wednesday and Thursday. BayCare operates 16 hospitals in west-central Florida.

BayCare has also closed its medical group and urgent care clinics Wednesday and Thursday, but is making telehealth services for those with the BayCareAnywhere mobile app from Wednesday at 7 a.m. through Friday at 7 p.m.

Some BayCare staffers lost their homes from flooding by Hurricane Helene. BayCare has created a 

 to support staff in need, and the system is committing $10 million to the fund.

Sarasota Memorial Health Care canceled all elective surgeries Wednesday and Thursday and has closed urgent care centers Wednesday. Many outpatient facilities are closed Wednesday and Thursday. 

, and all VA clinics in Tampa are closed through Thursday. The VA said appointments were being converted to virtual visits or being rescheduled.

The  C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center in Bay Pines has closed its campus, including the emergency department. Outpatient appointments are being postponed or done via telehealth.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Florida hospitals were faring well when it came to supplies, Mayhew said. Hospitals were focused on having ample supplies of fuel if power is unavailable for an extended period, she said.

She said she is concerned about gasoline supplies for hospital staff. Patrick De Haan, a gasoline analyst for GasBuddy, said more than one in five Florida gas stations were out of gas as of 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Mayhew praised the preparation and coordination of state officials working with health systems. More than 500 healthcare leaders participated in a call with state health and emergency officials early Tuesday afternoon. She said 11 shelters have been set up around the state to accommodate individuals who are not in hospitals but require power for their medical equipment.

It’s unclear how many Florida hospital workers lost their homes after Helene, Mayhew said, but the association is working to get that data. She also dreads the prospect of more hospital staff losing homes or suffering serious damage from Hurricane Milton.

“We will obviously now be looking at it comprehensively, between these two hurricanes, the extent to which our healthcare employees have suffered significant damage to their homes,” she said.

The powerful storm hit a region still recovering from Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago. Hospitals braced for severe flooding.

Hurricane Milton: Florida hospitals, more than 300 healthcare facilities evacuate

It has taken longer than some healthcare advocates would like, but a measure to extend key telehealth programs is moving forward in Congress.

This week, the House & Energy Commerce Committee passed the 

 with more than bipartisan support. The committee approved the measure unanimously with a 41-0 vote Wednesday, along with a host of other health bills.

The bill (H.R. 7263) continues many telehealth flexibilities for an additional two years, through the end of 2026. The legislation would also provide a five-year extension for 

Kyle Zebley, senior vice president of public policy for the American Telemedicine Association, hailed the unanimous vote for the bill.

“We owe a great debt of gratitude to our telehealth champions in the House for their unwavering and ongoing support of telehealth and to bringing needed care to the American people, especially those in underserved communities,” Zebley said in a statement this week.

Republicans and Democrats sponsored the bill. U.S. Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter, R-Ga., one of the prime sponsors of the legislation, is hoping the full House of Representatives will vote to approve the bill sooner than later.

“Seniors, individuals with mobility issues, and those living in rural areas rely on telehealth to bring qualified health care professionals right to their home,” Carter said in a statement. “I urge a swift House floor vote on this bill, so that we can get Medicare beneficiaries the life-saving health care they need.”

After the House acts, the Senate would have to approve the legislation.

they expect Congress to extend telehealth provisions

, which were first enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. But some also said they worried Congress may not act too quickly this year, especially with most lawmakers running for re-election this fall.

 with Chief Healthcare Executive®, Zebley projected that Congress may not get the bill to President Biden’s desk until late in the year, and it appears that forecast is accurate.

“It's going to get done,” Zebley said in June. “It's just going to really be stressful in the act of getting done.”

U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Delaware Democrat, said 

 has been “one of the few positive outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic,” and she hopes the extension is enacted as soon as possible.

“We are one step closer to ensuring that anyone who needs these services, especially seniors, those with disabilities, and people living in rural areas, can access the care they need when it’s most convenient for them, all while lowering prescription drug costs,” Rochester said in a statement.

Some healthcare advocates were hoping to see permanent telehealth reforms, but they acknowledged another extension of flexibilities would be more likely.

“Although we believe these provisions should be permanent, we understand the current dynamics and support a two-year extension,” Zebley said in a statement.

Healthcare leaders are particularly happy for the five-year extension for hospital-at-home programs. As of Sept. 17, 345 hospitals are offering acute care at home in 39 states, according to 

 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Telehealth advocates are also pressing for the approval of extensions allowing the remote prescription of some controlled substances, such as Oxycontin and Xanax.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Health & Human Services agreed last year to a temporary extension allowing for telehealth providers to write prescriptions for some controlled substances, but that provision expires at the end of 2024. The American Telemedicine Association is urging Congress to push the DEA and health department for an additional two-year extension of remote prescriptions.

“If left unaddressed, this issue could create dire consequences,” Zebley said in a statement.

Patient usage of telehealth has dipped recently, but it remains far more popular than before the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, 30% of adults engaged in telehealth, down from 37% in 2021, according to the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

However, analysts continue to see strong demand for telehealth options in some areas, 

, CEO of Carilion Clinic, touted the value of telehealth this week at an 

 held by The Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare and Politico. Agee, the chair of the coalition, talked about the system’s expanded use of telehealth.

“The pandemic just put a huge catalyst into that. Suddenly we were doing tons of telehealth-care throughout our whole region,” she said.

Carilion employs several doctors across the country who are full-time virtual physicians. “They never see a patient in person,” Agee said. “They do everything through telehealth.”

She also pointed out that telehealth can reach more remote communities, as well as help seniors and those with disabilities who can’t easily visit a doctor in person, even if the clinic is close.

“When you think about telehealth, it’s not just to reach into rural areas, though that’s critically important. It’s also what we can do in general,” she says.

“I think telehealth is just a real gift to the way we do healthcare delivery today,” she says.

The American Telemedicine Association is also pressing Congress to approve a bill (

) that would expand access to virtual care for workers by allowing employers to offer stand-alone telehealth benefits to all employees.

How hospitals and health systems could do more with telehealth

The House Energy & Commerce Committee has passed the legislation, but some key provisions for telehealth are slated to expire at the end of the year.

Kathy Gersch

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