Five hospital and health system CEOs have exited their roles, or announced plans to do so, since Dec. 30:
1. Don Caruso, MD, president and CEO of Keene, N.H.-based Cheshire Medical Center, will retire in May. The hospital is part of Lebanon, N.H.-based Dartmouth Health.
2. Steve Dietlin will retire as CEO of Oceanside, Calif.-based Tri-City Medical Center in March. As of Jan. 3, a search committee was convening to find his replacement.
3. Carole Peet, MSN, RN, will step down from her role as president and CEO of Yakima (Wash.) Valley Memorial Hospital this month. The hospital, which was previously affiliated with Seattle-based Virginia Mason Health System, recently reached an acquisition agreement with Tacoma, Wash.-based MultiCare Health System. Tammy Buyok, MultiCare's vice president of facilities management and operation support services, will serve as interim president once the acquisition receives regulatory approval.
4. Joe Hugar is no longer president and CEO of Campbellsville, Ky.-based Taylor Regional Hospital. Shane Fitzgerald, COO of Louisville, Ky.-based UofL Health-Mary & Elizabeth Hospital, was named to the interim post.
5. Alfred Pilong Jr. is no longer CEO of Middletown, N.Y.-based Garnet Health. The health system's board terminated his three-year contract after the first year and named Jerry Dunlavey — its current vice president of operations and COO of its hospital in Monticello, N.Y. — to the interim post.