Ballad Health, the new health system formed by the merger of Kingsport, Tenn.-based Wellmont Health System and Johnson City, Tenn.-based Mountain States Health Alliance, selected 16 new executives. The system formally launched Feb. 2.
As reported previously, Bart Hove, the former CEO of Wellmont who was slated to serve as CEO of the merged organization, unexpectedly retired Feb. 1. Alan Levine, who serves as executive chairman and president of Ballad Health, has stepped in as CEO.
The other members of Ballad Health's executive team include:
• COO: Marvin Eichorn, who was previously executive vice president and COO of MSHA
• CFO: Lynn Krutak, who was formerly executive vice president and CFO for MSHA
• CIO: Martha Chill, the previous CIO for Wellmont Health System
• Chief clinical officer: Jerry Blackwell, MD, who most recently served as president of the Wellmont CVA Heart Institute in Kingsport
• System innovation and chief population health officer: Anthony Keck, the former senior vice president and chief development officer for MSHA
• Chief nursing officer: Lisa Smithgall, who was formerly vice president of patient care services and CNO of Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport
• Chief compliance officer: Paige Carter, the former director of audit and compliance services for MSHA
• General counsel: Tim Belisle, who most recently served as the executive vice president of corporate compliance and general counsel for MSHA
• Interim vice president of human resources: David Sensibaugh, who currently serves as CEO of Integrated Solutions Health Network, a regional health solutions company based in Johnson City
• Vice president of Ballad Health Medical Services: Steve Kilgore, who was previously senior vice president of retail, outpatient and ambulatory services for MSHA
• Vice president of market operations: Eric Deaton, who was executive vice president and COO of Wellmont Health System
Ballad Health also named the following market executives:
• President of the southwest market: Stan Hickson, who formerly served as CEO of MSHA's northeast operating division and CEO of Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon, Va.
• President of southeast market: Dwayne Taylor, the previous vice president and CEO for MSHA's southeast market
• President of northwest market: Monty McLaurin, who was previously CEO and vice president of Indian Path Medical Center in Kingsport
• President of northeast market: Greg Neal, who most recently served as president of Bristol (Tenn.) Regional Medical Center
In addition, Ballad Health appointed Gary Miller as certificate of public advantage compliance officer. Mr. Miller previously served as executive vice president and general counsel for Wellmont Health System.
The merger that made Ballad Health possible rested on legislation passed in Tennessee and Virginia, which authorized the issuance of a COPA in Tennessee and a cooperative agreement in Virginia. The merger is the largest COPA-governed transaction to take place in the country to date.