Major names set a course to exit the industry in the past 12 months, creating opportunities for the next wave of leaders.
This year saw many hospitals and health systems replace their longtime CEOs with new faces as their veteran leaders opted to call it a career.
Having a succession plan in place should be a priority for organizations to ensure a seamless transition, even if it involves a significant shift in strategy and approach.
Here are four notable health system CEOs who revealed over the past year that they would be stepping away.
Advent Health’s Terry Shaw
After serving as president and CEO of the faith-based system since 2016, Shaw is set to retire in July 2025, ending a 40-year stint with AdventHealth.
During Shaw’s tenure, the hospital operator rebranded from Adventist Health System in 2019 and expanded to include 51 hospital campuses and hundreds of care sites in nine states.
Shaw, who will remain on the system’s board of directors, is a proponent of cultivating innovation within an organization to achieve transformation.
AdventHealth said it will select an internal successor to Shaw in April 2025.
Cedars-Sinai’s Thomas Priselac
The Los Angeles-based system said goodbye to Priselac at the end of September, bringing a close on a 45-year chapter with the organization, including 30 as president and CEO.
While Priselac was at the helm, Cedars-Sinai grew to more than 40 locations with more than 4,500 physicians and nurses.
In his place is Peter Slavin, who brought over his experience as president of Massachusetts General from 2003 to 2021.
Slavin shared with HealthLeaders how he is setting out to improve the Cedars-Sinai’s workforce by making “the work environment as positive and joyful as possible.”
Banner Health’s Peter Fine
One of the industry’s prominent figures wrapped up a 24-year run as CEO of Banner Health on June 30, giving way to president Amy Perry.
Fine has witnessed firsthand how the role of a health system CEO has evolved throughout the years, reflecting the wants and needs of consumers.
He also helped the Arizona-based system grow to include 30 acute-care hospitals, three rehab hospitals, and more than 55,000 employees across six states.
Perry, meanwhile, is utilizing a technology-forward approach to bring the system into a new era by making it easier for clinicians to deliver care, along with improving the digital consumer experience.
Providence’s Rod Hochman
The end of the year will also mark the conclusion of Hochman’s CEO tenure at Providence and 45 years in healthcare.
In the 17 years Hochman spent with the Catholic health system, Providence expanded to 51 hospitals, more than 1,000 clinics, and more than 122,000 employees across seven states.
Providence chose to go the internal route for Hochman’s replacement, appointing chief operating officer Erik Wexler as the next president and CEO, effective January 1, 2025.
Jay Asser is the CEO editor for HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Top health systems across the country have had to pivot to new voices due to their mainstay CEOs choosing to retire.
Developing internal talent and forming a succession plan was vital for organizations weathering change at the top.