Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1484704
15 CEO / STRATEGY California hospitals restructure leadership after summer resignations By Kelly Gooch M emorialCare Long Beach (Calif.) Medical Center and MemorialCare Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach are making strategic changes in executive leadership months aer CEO John Bishop and former COO Ike Mmeje unexpectedly announced their resignations. Mr. Bishop and Mr. Mmeje announced their resignations in July. Mr. Bishop agreed to remain CEO of the hospitals pending the completion of a national search to identify his successor. Mr. Mmeje le the hospitals in August "to pursue other opportunities." Now, the hospitals are promoting several leaders and implementing a new leader- ship structure "to align with [Fountain Valley, Calif.-based] MemorialCare's future strategic plans, including regional growth in pediatrics and advancing our position as the region's leader in healthcare," according to an Oct. 25 news release shared with Becker's. Four things to know, according to the news release: 1. Yair Katz, CFO of Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's & Women's, was promoted to the newly created position of chief executive of Miller Children's & Women's and senior vice president of pediatrics for MemorialCare. He will remain CFO until a replacement has been namd. 2. Susan Herman, DNP, RN, has been promoted into the expanded leadership posi- tion of chief nursing executive for senior oversight of all patient care areas. She previ- ously served as the chief nursing officer of Miller Children's & Women's. 3. Steve Cesca has been promoted to chief strategy officer for both Long Beach Medi- cal Center and Miller Children's & Women's. Since 2018, he has served as vice presi- dent of business development with MemorialCare. 4. Helen Macfie, PharmD, remains acting COO of Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's & Women's, and Mr. Bishop continues as CEO amid the search for his replacement. MemorialCare said it expects to have a new CEO named and in place by early next year. Beaumont, Spectrum have new name for combined system By Molly Gamble A fter going by the temporary moniker BHSH System, Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health rolled out a name for their com- bined system Oct. 11: Corewell Health. Southfield, Mich.-based Beaumont and Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Spectrum combined in February 2022 to form the largest health system in Michigan with 22 hospitals. At the time, the organizations noted the name BHSH System was temporary. Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of the combined system, said Corewell was inspired by "thousands of ideas" from staff, according to local NBC affiliate WDIV Local 4. Branding and signage with the new name and logo — a blue and green sphere — will be installed in phases over the next two years. n Vermont hospital medical staff vote no confidence in CEO By Kelly Gooch M edical staff at North Country Hos- pital in Newport, Vt., have voted no confidence in CEO Brian Nall, news station WCAX reported Oct. 21. Mr. Nall joined the hospital in 2018 from HSHS Holy Family Hospital in Greenville, Ill. Under his leadership, there have been man- agement decisions that have created con- cerns about the work environment at the hospital and how it is affecting staff and pa- tients, medical staff told WCAX. Former staff members told the news station they left the hospital voluntarily and that power dynam- ics created when Mr. Nall arrived are result- ing in resignations and staffing gaps. As of Oct. 24, there are 37 nursing positions, 25 allied health positions and nine physician openings listed on the hospital's website. A statement provided to WCAX from Frank Knoll, chair of the hospital's board of trust- ees, says, "The board takes this very serious- ly and is aware of the vote and looking into the matter. Because this is a personnel mat- ter, we are of course not able to share any additional information at this time. We are deeply committed to the staff, patients and community we serve and will always act in their best interest. We appreciate the com- munity's support and understanding." Regarding staffing, a statement provided to the news station said the hospital struggles like other healthcare organizations and has "made several really important additions to our team recently including two primary care physicians, and a cardiologist joining in January, and we have a couple of recent additions to our emergency department team. We also have a part-time general surgeon who has come on board. We're excited to welcome them and all to North Country Hospital. We continue to work hard to hire providers of all types to care for our community." North Country Hospital is a private, non- profit community hospital governed by its 14-member board of trustees. n