LHN CEO Mark Medley will take over Poore's portfolio after he leaves at the end of this month.
Lutheran Health Network Regional President Mike Poore is stepping down at the end of May after less than two years at the Fort Wayne, Indiana-based health system.
In a letter to employees, published by Inside Indiana Business, Poore said he has planned to stay longer, but after several weeks of contemplation, "I’ve decided that this is the right time for me to return home."
He called the move "the right decision for me and for my family at this time in our lives."
LHN CEO Mark Medley will take over Poore's portfolio after he leaves at the end of this month.
"Over the next few weeks, I’ll be transitioning my responsibilities to Mark Medley and I’ll be working with our hospital and network leadership teams to ensure a smooth transition," Poore said.
Poore has served as president and CEO of LHN since June 2017, when parent company Community Health Systems ousted CEO Brian Bauer. Poore relinquished the CEO title earlier this year to focus on long-term planning.
Poore had served as vice president of operations for Franklin, Tennessee-based Community Health Systems Professional Services Corp. and CEO of hospitals and health systems in Georgia, North Carolina and Texas.
Related: Lutheran Health Network CEO Looking to Hire CEO Who Won't Replace Him
Lutheran Health Network has had its share of drama in recent years. Amid financial hardship, CHS considered selling the network in 2016, and Bauer was fired in 2017. A group of physicians then tried unsuccessfully to acquire the network, the chief medical officer was fired, and two other prominent physicians resigned.
In 2018, St. Joseph Hospital CEO Karen Fordham resigned after working in the Lutheran Health Network just seven months, having been accused of saying Bauer "should be shot and killed for what he did."
Bauer was sued by CHS for allegedly using privileged information to seek new ownership and help competitor IU Health establish its presence in the city, as the News-Sentinel reported last August.
“I’ve decided that this is the right time for me to return home.”
LHN Regional President Mike Poore
John Commins is a content specialist and online news editor for HealthLeaders, a Simplify Compliance brand.
Photo credit: doomu / Shutterstock
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Poore had planned to stay longer, but after several weeks of contemplation, 'I’ve decided that this is the right time for me to return home.'
He called the move 'the right decision for me and for my family at this time in our lives.'
Poore relinquised his title as CEO earlier this year to focus on strategic initiatives.