Robert Trefry said he always considered his time as Bridgeport Hospital's president/CEO the capstone of his career. So, when he decided to retire from the hospital last year after 19 years with the organization -- 16 as president and CEO -- it was with no regrets. Yet, Trefry's departure made him part of a mini-trend in the state. In 2010, six hospitals, including Bridgeport, saw their CEOs leave. The previous year, CEOs at four Connecticut hospitals left their jobs. Nationwide, such activity isn't uncommon. Earlier this month, the American College of Healthcare Executives, an international professional society of executives at a variety of healthcare organizations, released its annual report on hospital CEO turnover. The report showed the hospital turnover rate nationwide was at 16% for 2010 -- a slight decrease from 2009, when it was at 18%.
