Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist CEO plans to retire, and more | MED MOVES

Dr. Julie A. Freischlag, CEO and chief academic officer of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, is planning to retire at the end of the year.

Dr. Julie A. Freischlag

Freischlag is also the chief academic officer and executive vice president of Advocate Health, and executive vice president of health affairs at Wake Forest University.

Freischlag has led Wake Forest Baptist as CEO since May 2017, and she served as dean of Wake Forest University School of Medicine from February 2018 to February 2023.

She has been a practicing vascular surgeon for 38 years.

“Leading Wake Forest Baptist has been the most fulfilling and rewarding role in my medical career,” Freischlag said. “I have been inspired and energized every day by the dedication of our teams to our patients and the communities we serve and am incredibly proud of our growing commitment as an academic learning health system to teach, train and discover.”

Previously, Freischlag served as vice chancellor for human health sciences and dean of the UC Davis School of Medicine.

Eugene A. Woods, CEO of Advocate Health, which includes Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, said he is “forever grateful for her remarkable contributions.”

“There are few people in this country who have had such a profound and positive impact on individual patients, academic medicine as a field, and a national health system; Dr. Freischlag is one of those people. She has imbued Advocate Health with a commitment to academic excellence, groundbreaking research, compassionate care, and a belief in the next generation of clinicians,” Woods said in a statement.

Kimberly Russo

OSF HealthCare names CEO for system’s central region

Kimberly Russo has been named the chief executive officer of OSF Healthcare’s central region.

Russo joins the system April 28. She replaces Bob Anderson, who retired in January. The system’s central region includes Peoria and its surrounding communities.

Most recently, Russo served as chief executive officer at the George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., and as group vice president for the D.C. Region of Universal Health Services. She led efforts to build a new hospital and expanded clinical research trials.

Russo began her career in Illinois

“While it is exciting to return to Illinois, I am thrilled to join OSF HealthCare and am grateful to the entire organization for this incredible opportunity to lead and contribute to the Mission. I am confident that given the forward-looking vision, we can build upon the foundation to achieve even greater success in serving our Mission Partners and our communities,” Russo said in a statement.

Mike Cruz, MD, chief operating officer for OSF HealthCare, said he’s excited to have Russo join the organization.

“We look forward to her expertise as she guides and strategically impacts Peoria and surrounding communities we serve,” Cruz said in a statement.

Dr. DeAnn Bullock

Nashville General Hospital appoints chief medical officer

Dr. DeAnn Bullock, MD, has been named chief medical officer of Nashville General Hospital.

Bullock began in the role April 1. She previously served as chief medical officer from 2019 to 2022. She has been with the organization since 2007 and has served as the medical director for the emergency Department since 2014.

Dr. Veronica Elders, acting manager of Nashville General Hospital, praised Bullock’s experience.

“Dr. Bullock’s leadership, experience, and unwavering dedication to our mission make her an invaluable asset to Nashville General Hospital,” Elders said in a statement. “Her expertise in emergency medicine, operational efficiency, and strategic planning will help us further elevate the quality of care we provide to the community.”

Bullock will continue to lead the emergency department and will also continue to serve as medical director of the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program.

Nicole Whims

Dignity Health hospital appoints chief nursing officer

Nicole Whims has been named the new chief nursing officer of Dignity Health – St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino, California.

Whims began serving in the post on April 14. She had been serving as interim chief nursing officer since January.

She joined the hospital in June 2006, and has held a variety of different positions.

Doug Kleam, president of St. Bernardine Medical Center, said Whims is “a true asset.”

“She is passionate about our mission, dedicated to our staff, and committed to providing the highest quality care to our patients,” Kleam said in a statement. “Nicole shared she is proud to have grown within our organization and is excited to see what successes we can achieve together as a team.”

Whims provided nursing oversight for key efforts, including the inpatient hospice program and the virtual companion program.