Alegent CEO's Resignation Illustrates Difficulty of Culture Change

Alegent Health CEO Wayne Sensor's resignation was big news in the hospital world in 2009. In the time leading up to Sensor's resignation, medical staff at two of Alegent's largest hospitals took votes of no confidence against Sensor, who is considered a healthcare pioneer—from the drive to make healthcare prices transparent to the consumer to building a staff of employed physicians at the health system. Senior leadership editor Philip Betbeze highlighted the Sensor situation and questioned Alegent's board's decision to accept his resignation based on the physician employment question. He wondered if the move would put Alegent on the wrong side of history and questioned whether Alegent's board strategy will end up penny wise—and pound foolish.