The National Association of Insurance Commissioners elected the 2010 officers at the association's annual winter national meetings this month. They included President: West Virginia Insurance Commissioner Jane Cline; President-Elect: Iowa Insurance Commissioner Susan Voss; Vice President: Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty; Secretary-Treasurer: Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland.
Telford W. Thomas, president/CEO of Washington Hospital, has announced his retirement effective May 31, after nearly 40 years at the hospital. Thomas, who was appointed president/CEO in 1992, will be succeeded by Executive Vice President Gary Weinstein.
Scott Nordlund has accepted the new position of vice president, New Venture and Partnership Development for the $10 billion Catholic Healthcare West system. In this system-wide leadership role, Nordlund will work in collaboration with local leadership in Arizona, Nevada, and California to direct the development of new ambulatory and major non-acute growth opportunities, as well innovative partnerships such as the one CHW currently has with United Surgical Partners, International. Nordlund served locally as chief strategy officer for St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, as well as CHW vice president of strategy for Arizona and Nevada.
WellCare Health Plans Inc. has disclosed in a regulatory filing that Adam Miller, its senior vice president, national Medicare and government affairs, will leave the company effective Jan. 18. WellCare stated that Miller's position is being eliminated as part of its ongoing evaluation and realignment of core business functions to improve cost structure.
Metropolitan Health Networks, Inc., a provider of healthcare services in Florida, announced that Chairman/CEO Michael Earley will step down on March 31, 2010, or until his successor is engaged. He will remain a member of the board of directors. Eric Haskell, currently the board's lead independent director, will assume the duties of chairman immediately.
Friends Hospital, a 200-year-old psychiatric hospital in Northeast Philadelphia, announced that it has added two new members to its administrative staff and three to its clinical staff. Eve Townsend has joined as director of Social Services. Tamika Stewart has assumed the role of director of Utilization Management. James Jones, MD is now Medical Director of the Friends Hospital Admissions & Evaluations Center. Jonathan Shack, MD, has joined Friends as Medical Director of a general adult unit.
The Horn Memorial Hospital Board of Directors has named Marc Augsburger as CEO/administrator. Augsburger was formerly the vice president of operations at Caro Memorial Hospital in Caro, MI. He began his duties at Horn Memorial Hospital Nov. 30.
Gregory Semerdjian, MD, has been named senior vice president/CMO for Franciscan Health System. For the past 10 years, Semerdjian served as vice president for medical and clinical operations for Denver-based Catholic Health Initiatives. CHI is among the largest non-profit health systems in the United States, with 75 hospitals and other care facilities in 19 states. Franciscan Health System is affiliated with CHI. Semerdjian, who served as Franciscan's interim CMO since July 31, succeeds Mike Newcomb, DO, who accepted a senior leadership position at Legacy Health System in Portland, OR.
Marilyn Schock, former associate administrator at Banner Health's 132-bed McKee Medical Center, will now serve as the hospital's CEO. Schock, the interim CEO, assumes the permanent position effective immediately. She has more than 23 years at Banner Health. For the past 14 months, Schock has served as the associate administrator for North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley—a 398-bed hospital operated by Banner Health.
Mortgage rates in the United States have dropped to their lowest levels since the 1940s, but the banks that once handed out home loans freely are imposing such stringent requirements that many homeowners who might want to refinance are effectively locked out, the New York Times reports. The scarcity of credit not only hurts homeowners but also has broad economic repercussions at a time when consumer spending and employment are showing modest signs of improvement, the Times reports.
