Oswego Health CEO, COO on Leadership Transition

Michael Backus, who currently serves as the system COO, will succeed Michael Harlovic as CEO in 2023.

Oswego, New York-based Oswego Health recently announced that the nonprofit health system's president and CEO, Michael A. Harlovic, will retire at the end of the year.

Harlovic has a healthcare career that spans almost four decades and joined the system in July 2017 where he has since led the system's strategic, executive, and operation guidance and has championed healthcare accessibility.

Michael Backus, who currently serves as executive vice president and COO of the system, will become president and CEO on January 1, 2023, after having worked closely with Halrovic over the past two years as part of the organization's succession plan to prepare for the leadership transition.

In a statement shared with HealthLeaders, an Oswego Health spokesperson shared, "Together they have navigated the challenging healthcare environment throughout the pandemic, and both remain committed to the mission of the organization, which is to provide accessible, quality care and improve the health of residents in the local community."

In an email interview with HealthLeaders, Harlovic and Backus shared their thoughts on the upcoming leadership transition.

"Working in healthcare for nearly forty years, I can honestly say that this leadership team at Oswego Health has been one of the best to be a part of," Harlovic said. "Persevering throughout a global pandemic in such unchartered territory and collaborating at all levels were pivotal to our success. Mike [Backus] was right there with me throughout all of this, and I’m confident in his leadership that he will further strengthen and position the organization to meet the needs of our community."

Backus shared that he is honored to succeed Harlovic, who has served as his mentor for the past two years.

"This hospital and health system is a cornerstone of our community and incredibly important to everyone, and it is the honor of my professional life to succeed Michael Harlovic as president and CEO of Oswego Health, as he has been a mentor these past two years," he said. "I am blessed to have a tremendous leadership team already in place that we will continue to grow as we expand our services. I am tremendously thankful for not only our Board of Directors for placing their trust in me to lead the system, but also to our employees for their support over the last two years as I joined the system. Together, we’re all going to care for our community and ensure Oswego Health’s best days are ahead."

Backus has served on the Oswego Health board of directors since 2016 and joined the system as COO in September 2020. Prior to joining the organization, he served in elected office as clerk of Oswego County, where he led the legislative committee for the New York State Association of County Clerks. Previously, he served on the legislative staff of state and federal officials, including former U.S. Representative John McHugh.

Backus' background in government is valuable in his current and future roles, especially since the Oswego community is heavily reliant on Medicare and Medicaid as a payer source.

"Advocating for further investment in healthcare at the state and federal level is where we are right now as the challenges healthcare nationally face are directly tied to escalating costs and reduction in reimbursement rates. We as a country have to level set the cost of care, which has exploded during the pandemic, with payment mechanisms that are very flat and stagnant," Backus said. "Thankfully with good relationships at the state and national level, Oswego Health is positioned to provide care in rural, underserved areas — my job is to ensure we are not lost in the shuffle on Capitol Hill. Ensuring that voice is heard is a daily responsibility and one that I plan to expand upon as president and CEO of Oswego Health."

He added, "When I officially become president and CEO in January, I will already be directing the mission and vision of Oswego Health, and so building on that by expanding services in Fulton, Oswego, and other parts of our community will help bring that care even closer to our patients. I want to improve the overall health and well-being of our community and we’ll do that by recruiting the next generation of caregivers that will build upon our 141-year foundation of care in this community."