MED MOVES: Johns Hopkins Medicine CEO plans to retire, and more

Paul Rothman

Paul Rothman, CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine, said he will retire this summer.

Rothman, who is also the dean of the medical faculty for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, plans to step down July 1.

Theodore DeWeese, M.D., vice dean for clinical affairs and president of the Johns Hopkins Clinical Practice Association, has agreed to serve as interim dean and CEO, the system said in a news release.

In a message to the Johns Hopkins organization Thursday, Rothman said he had long envisioned stepping down after serving as dean and CEO for 10 years.

“A decade felt like the right time horizon to help advance the missions of JHM,” he said. “That vision was crystallized by the COVID-19 pandemic, which demanded so much of our institution and our community. Two years later, I believe that we have navigated the worst of the pandemic, and it is time for a new leader to guide us forward.”

The system cited a host of accomplishments under Rothman’s leadership. He is credited for developing new hospital buildings, adding an office of diversity and inclusion, investing in more digital infrastructure, and securing record levels of grant funding.

The system also plans to announce “a major initiative to minimize debt for medical students to ensure that the best and brightest continue to train at Johns Hopkins.”

Umberto Tachinardi

Ohio system names digital health leader

Umberto Tachinardi has been appointed chief health digital officer for the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and UC Health.

He will take the role beginning June 1, 2022. He will also serve as associate dean for health informatics at the College of Medicine and vice president at UC Health.

Tachinardi serves as interim president and CEO of the Regenstrief Institute in Indianapolis. He is also assistant dean for clinical informatics and professor of biostatistics at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

He brings nearly four decades of experience in the biomedical informatics field. He spent 20 years building electronic health record systems for health care systems in his native Brazil.

He said he aims to help work toward improving health and research and address inequities in technology.

“The digital world is a solution for a number of things, but it’s also challenging for a number of populations at risk, for example, the elderly and the poor who don’t have the resources,” Tachinardi said in a statement. “That’s the challenge when we think about this new world; how do we connect the realities and challenges in the real world where people live.”

A. Tanya Odom

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield names diversity leader

A. Tonya Odom has been named the director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.

She’ll oversee efforts to recruit a more diverse workforce to the largest health plan in the mid-Atlantic region. The appointment was announced Thursday.

Odom possesses 25 years of experience in leadership and diversity efforts. She spent 13 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, most recently as chief EEO officer. At the FBI, she elevated diversity to a core value, according to a news release.

She helped to expand how diversity was viewed at the FBI.

“A lot of work must be done in the healthcare field to reach equity for all, and this work begins in-house,” Odom said in a statement. “I was impressed with CareFirst’s clear prioritization of DEI and know that with the company’s values and goals guiding and pushing us, we can make even larger strides in this area of the healthcare industry.”

Odom also served as a former civil rights attorney and chief administrative judge for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington, D.C.

“The organizations that are succeeding are the ones doing a great job building diversity into the fabric of their cultures,” Odom said. “It’s not a coincidence: actively embracing inclusion and diversity is a smart and effective way to do business.”

Joseph Lamantia

Catholic Health announces new transformation officer

Joseph Lamantia has been named Catholic Health’s executive vice president and chief transformation officer, a newly created role.

Lamantia will serve as a key advisor on the system’s clinical and business transformation. He will oversee all clinical service lines, ambulatory centers, population health initiatives, and business development, the system said in a news release. The system is based in Long Island, N.Y.

He has more than 25 years of experience in population health, administration and financial operations. Most recently, he served as Northwell Health’s senior vice president for the system’s eastern region. Previously, he held leadership positions at Stony Brook Medicine and Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital.

“The health care landscape is always evolving and Catholic Health is well-positioned to provide the new services patients demand,” Lamantia said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the system’s leadership team to execute the strategies that will further enhance the compassionate care offered to the communities we serve.”

Patrick M. O’Shaughnessy, president and CEO of Catholic Health, said Lamantia will help the system  “bring quality care closer to the communities we serve.”

Bland Eng

HCA Healthcare West Fla. names development officer

Bland Eng has been named the first chief development officer of HCA Healthcare West Florida Division.

Eng will move into the newly created post on June 1. He has served as the CEO for HCA Florida Brandon Hospital for the past 10 years.

He will be leading HCA Florida Healthcare’s expansion into southwest Florida. The system is building a $251 million hospital in Fort Myers. HCA Healthcare is expanding its presence in Florida.

He has 26 years of healthcare experience. He served as the chief operating officer and interim CEO at HCA Florida Putnam Hospital; COO at HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital; CEO at HCA Florida Lake City Hospital and CEO at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital.

Tim Burroughs, chief administrative officer for HCA Healthcare West Florida Division, hailed Eng’s leadership experience.

“Bland is a highly respected and seasoned leader with a deep knowledge of Fort Myers and southwest Florida,” Burroughs said in a statement.

Mary Jane Krebs

Maine hospital president is retiring

Mary Jane Krebs, president of Spring Harbor Hospital, has announced her plans to retire.

She will step down on December 31, 2022. Krebs has been the president of the nonprofit psychiatric hospital since 2015.

Krebs has spent 50 years in behavioral health. She has held several leadership roles at Spring Harbor Hospital and its parent organization, Maine Behavioral Healthcare, along with roles in hospitals in New York.

Kelly Barton, president of Maine Behavioral Healthcare, praised Krebs for her contributions to the system. Krebs was credited with developing initiatives to meet the needs of young adults and a learning collaborative with other psychiatric hospitals nationwide.

“During the past 25 years, in which she helped build Spring Harbor Hospital as we know it today, Mary Jane has improved the lives of thousands of people with behavioral health needs,” Barton said in a statement.