Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau, Alaska, seeks to extend the contract of interim CEO Ian Worden through the end of 2024 amid a search for its fourth leader in less than a year.
Mr. Worden was selected as interim CEO of the hospital in September and has been serving in that role since October.
"When Mr. Worden was hired as the Interim CEO, it was anticipated that he would hold the position for roughly three to four months while the organization identified a new CEO," Erin Hardin, a spokesperson for Bartlett Regional, told Becker's. "Given that a new CEO has not yet been identified and Mr. Worden is willing to extend his time through the end of the calendar year, the hospital's HR requested authorization from the board to review and amend his contract, which the board approved during its meeting [on May 28]."
The chair of the CEO search committee chair also shared an update at the meeting that 39 individuals have submitted applications for the top role, and five are either in Alaska or have ties to the state, Ms. Hardin said.
The committee aims to select a permanent CEO by early fall.
The person who steps into that role will be the hospital's fourth leader in less than a year.
Mr. Worden took the helm from Nate Rumsey, who was named acting CEO in August after David Keith announced plans to retire. Mr. Keith was named CEO in July 2022.
Mr. Worden joined Bartlett Regional after serving as COO of Tacoma, Wash.-based Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. He also previously served as COO of CHI Franciscan Health from 2015 to 2021 prior to the merger of CHI Franciscan and Virginia Mason.
As Mr. Worden continues helming Bartlett Regional, the hospital is considering cutting back or closing six programs due to financial challenges.
A news release issued May 29 by the hospital said Bartlett Regional "has not achieved an operating margin since 2019 and has been losing about $1M a month from operations since the summer of 2020. The hospital needs to reduce the operating loss for core hospital programs within the enterprise fund by a minimum of $7 million, or more if additional programs are retained, to achieve a reasonable operating margin to ensure the organization can continue to provide the necessary resources to deliver quality care to the community."
The hospital board is now seeking public comment on community healthcare priorities and non-core hospital programs, with multiple community feedback forums scheduled in June, the release said.
Bartlett Regional is licensed for 57 inpatient beds, 16 residential substance-abuse treatment facility beds in the Rainforest Recovery Center, and 61 residential beds in the Wildflower Court long-term care facility, according to its website.