Denver-based Catholic Health Initiatives appointed T. Douglas Lawson CEO of its Texas division and senior vice president of the organization, effective March 19, according to a Houston Business Journal report.
Here are five notes:
1. Mr. Lawson will oversee the 16 hospitals in CHI's Texas division, including Houston-based CHI St. Luke's Health, St. Joseph Health in Bryan and St. Luke's Health-Memorial in Lufkin.
2. He currently serves as president of Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas and the North Texas Central Region of Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health.
3. His prior experience includes serving as president of Baylor Regional Medical Center-Grapevine (Texas) as well as senior vice president and COO of Cabell Huntington (W. Va.) Hospital.
4. Mr. Lawson succeeds Michael Covert, who tendered his resignation in June 2017, but decided to stay on until his successor was appointed.
5. At the time of his resignation announcement, The Houston Chronicle reported Mr. Covert's departure "was widely seen as CHI's response to the Texas division's market struggles, particularly in Houston." From August 2016 to March 2017, CHI's Texas division cut 1,295 jobs.