Atlanta hospital CEO deal appears close

Officials with Atlanta's Grady Memorial Hospital may seal a separation agreement with their embattled CEO on the same day they expect to name a new chief executive. News that Grady is close to a deal with CEO Pam Stephenson comes days after a top Grady official said negotiations had bogged down. There has been controversy over Stephenson's two-year, $600,000-a-year contract, which some officials called a secret sweetheart deal. Several state and local officials have taken exception to the prospect she could receive a severance package worth $750,000, a provision that has been a major sticking point in negotiating her departure.