After 10 years on the job, IASIS Healthcare LLC CEO David R. White will retire by the end of this year but will continue to serve as chairman of the Franklin, TN-based hospital chain's board of directors, the company announced this week.
IASIS CFO W. Carl Whitmer has been named president and will become CEO when White retires. Whitmer, CFO since 2001, also will join the IASIS board, as will long-time IASIS COO Sandra McRee, who becomes vice chair.
"While there is likely never the perfect time to retire, this is certainly the right time to make this transition," White said in a media release. "IASIS is in a very strong position, has a well-planned growth strategy and has an excellent leader in Carl Whitmer, who is poised and ready to take IASIS to the next level."
"Our industry is undergoing tremendous change. IASIS is well situated to take advantage of its strengths, build upon its success and respond to change. Because of our advance planning, we are confident this will be a smooth transition," White said.
Since White took over at IASIS in 2000, annual revenues have grown from $815 million to more than $2.4 billion, and the hospital chain has spent more than $100 million to improve healthcare information technology, the company said.
A national search is underway to fill McRee's COO position, but no specific timeframe has been set. John Doyle, IASIS' vice president and CAO, replaces Whitmer as CFO.
IASIS owns or leases 15 acute care hospitals and one behavioral health hospital in six states, with a total of 2,848 beds. IASIS also owns and operates a Medicaid/Medicare managed health plan in Phoenix, AZ, with more than 198,000 members.
John Commins is a content specialist and online news editor for HealthLeaders, a Simplify Compliance brand.