The top physician of Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., has given notice of his departure, effective March 1.
Anthony Spensieri, MD, announced in a Feb. 8 email to medical staff that he will "step away" from the role at the 815-bed hospital, part of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare. The email was obtained and reported Feb. 16 by the Asheville Citizen Times with confirmation by Mission Hospital.
Dr. Spensieri has led the hospital's medical staff as chief medical officer since November 2019 and leads the organization's "clinical agenda and culture of safety," according to his biography on the Mission Hospital website. He previously served as CMO of HCA's Henrico Doctors Hospital in Richmond, Va., for seven years.
His resignation comes as Mission Hospital faces increased scrutiny about its clinical quality and operations. CMS notified the hospital's leadership in early February that the facility is in immediate jeopardy and must take action to avert the loss of federal funding. Details on what led to the immediate jeopardy are limited; the hospital has submitted a corrective action plan.
Mission Hospital is part of Mission Health, which includes seven hospitals and more than 1,600 physicians.