Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove, MD, turned down an informal offer to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs under President-elect Donald Trump due to his commitment to the Ohio health system, an inside source told Bloomberg.
Dr. Cosgrove was asked if he could commit to the VA post before the formal offer would have been extended, according to the report. However, the source told Bloomberg Dr. Cosgrove said he could not leave his post at Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. Cosgrove, who also serves on a 16-member advisory panel to the president-elect, was considered a top choice for the VA Secretary position, according to the report. He was previously offered the position under President Barack Obama, when VA Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned over the wait time scandal in 2014. Dr. Cosgrove also turned down this offer to keep his role as chief of Cleveland Clinic.
Bloomberg reports Luis Quinonez, CEO of IQ Management Services, is still in the running for the position, along with several others.
Read the full report here.
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