Boston Medical Center names new COO, and more | MED MOVES

Joe Camillus has been appointed the chief operating officer of Boston Medical Center.

Joe Camillus

He joined Boston Medical Center in 2011 and most recently served as senior vice president of operations and professional services.

In his new role, Camillus will work to expand the reach of hospital services and continue the organization’s shift to embrace value-based care, along with providing more equitable care.

In recent months, he has worked with leaders on a campus construction project to expand inpatient and operating room capacity. Camillus also played a key role in the organization’s COVID-19 response.

“Boston Medical Center is both an integral part of our community and a national model for racial health equity and clinical and research excellence,” Camillus said in a statement. “I’m honored to serve BMC as Chief Operating Officer and work with this great team of dedicated employees to strengthen and position the hospital for the future.”

Alastair Bell, president of Boston Medical Center Health System, said he has led many efforts to improve the patient experience.

“We are excited to have him expand his role as Chief Operating Officer, where he will further support BMC’s ambitious goals in growth, innovation, performance excellence and health equity,” Bell said in a statement.

Before joining Boston Medical Center, Camillus was an administrative director in emergency medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Michelle W. Krause, left, and Ahmed Abuabdou

U. of Arkansas Medical Sciences appoints CEO, chief clinical officer

Two interim leaders have been elevated at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Michelle W. Krause has been named senior vice chancellor for UAMS Health and chief executive officer of the UAMS Medical Center. And Ahmed Abuabdou has been appointed as the chief clinical officer for UAMS Medical Center. They have both been serving in those roles in an interim capacity since September.

UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson hailed Krause for her COVID-19 response efforts. Krause has been with the organization for more than 20 years.

“Her clinical expertise, administrative experience and institutional knowledge make her the ideal leader for our statewide health system. She is well versed on the health care needs across Arkansas,” Patterson said in a statement.

Krause oversees UAMS Health’s 535-bed hospital, outpatient clinics in central Arkansas, and clinics at eight regional campuses across the state. She is also a professor in the UAMS College of Medicine.

As chief clinical officer, Abuabdou will facilitate medical staff interactions with UAMS Health leadership to ensure care delivery. He joined the organization in 2012.

“Dr. Abuabdou has served in this new role on an interim basis for the past four months and has strong relationships with staff at all levels that help ensure we provide excellent patient care to all patients at all times,” Krause said in a statement.

UAMS is the largest public employer in Arkansas, 11,000 workers, including 1,200 doctors.

“We are fortunate to have two established leaders from within UAMS to step into these roles,” Patterson said in a statement. “Their leadership and perspectives will be particularly valuable in our efforts to achieve our strategic goals to make Arkansas a healthier state and grow our national reputation for excellence.”

Gretchen K.D. McCullough

Vanderbilt chooses chief nursing officer of children’s hospital

Gretchen K.D. McCullough has been named chief nursing officer of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

McCullough will start March 6. She comes to Vanderbilt from OHSU Health: Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon, where she serves as associate chief nursing officer for Women’s and Children’s Services. She will succeed Monroe Carell CNO Kathie Krause, who is retiring in the spring.

Meg Rush, president of Monroe Carell, said McCullough brings “a wealth of experience” to the post.

“While at Doernbecher, Gretchen has demonstrated leadership of numerous safety and quality initiatives, navigated a successful Magnet redesignation, established nurse residency and fellowship onboarding programs, and led both unit and hospital expansion of programs and facilities,” Rush said in a statement. “She is passionate about innovative care, quality and safety, and mentorship, all of which will build upon the foundation of her predecessors as we look forward to moving to the next level of nursing at Monroe Carell.”

As she prepares for her new role at Monroe Carell, McCullough will spend her first 90 days on a listening tour, hearing from nurses and families to understand top priorities.

“One of the things that is critical to me in any job that I consider is that it has to have, as a part of the work, the ability to impact care in rural communities,” McCullough said in a statement. “I was also so struck by the quality of people that are present on the teams at Monroe Carell. At risk of simplifying it, it feels like such a good group of humans.”

Mark Holyoak

Lourdes Health selects new CEO

Mark Holyoak has been named the new chief executive officer of Lourdes Health in Washington state.

Holyoak will take the post beginning March 20. He has been serving as the CEO of Wilson Medical Center in Wilson, North Carolina, since 2018.

Lourdes Health is part of Lifepoint Health’s Western Division. Lourdes is based in Pasco, a small city in Washington state’s Tri-Cities region.

Sandy Podley, president of Lifepoint Health’s Western Division, praised Holyoak’s “vast operational and clinical leadership.”

“Mark began his healthcare career as a nurse, and he is passionate about supporting frontline caregivers,” Podley said in a statement. “His track record in provider recruitment, patient satisfaction and improving quality care will serve our Lourdes Health patients and the entire Pasco community.”

Before joining Wilson Medical Center, Holyoak served as CEO of Castleview Hospital in Price, Utah for seven years. He also previously served as chief nursing/clinical officer for Ashley Regional Medical Center in Vernal, Utah for 10 years.

“I am looking forward to joining the beautiful Tri-Cities community and Lourdes Health,” Holyoak said in a statement. “I know how talented, passionate and resilient our people are, and I am committed to working alongside our co-workers and providers to ensure our hospital continues to provide the Pasco community with high quality healthcare.”

Tom Bartiromo

Tower Health hires chief information officer

Tom Bartiromo has been named chief information officer of Tower Health in eastern Pennsylvania.

Bartiromo joined Tower Health in May 2022 as vice president and chief technology officer. In his new role as CIO, he will expand his executive leadership to cover all phases of information technology systems and services.

Prior to joining Tower Health, Bartiromo served as the senior director of service delivery & optimization at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Previously, he was the chief innovation officer for the healthcare division at the New Jersey Innovation Institute, and served as interim CTO at Hartford HealthCare.

Bartiromo spent 13 years at RWJBarnabas Health, advancing from corporate director of technology resources to vice president and chief technology officer, and ultimately to senior vice president and chief information officer.

Tower Health consists of Reading Hospital in West Reading; Phoenixville Hospital in Phoenixville; Pottstown Hospital in Pottstown; and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, in partnership with Drexel University.