After six months without a chief executive officer, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center is getting a new leader.
Jim Wilson will start as CEO of the hospital Oct. 6. He is coming to Lakewood Ranch from Central Montgomery Medical Center in Lansdale, Pa., where he has been CEO since 2007.
Universal Health Services, which owns Manatee Memorial Hospital, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center and hospitals across the country, is selling Central Montgomery Medical Center, but the company didn't want to lose such a strong performer, said Moody Chisholm, chief executive officer of Manatee Memorial Hospital.
And Wilson said it was important to him to stay with UHS, which focuses on quality as well as physician and employee satisfaction.
Wilson started working in the medical profession as an emergency medical technician almost 25 years ago and has held almost every job in a hospital. He spent the better part of his childhood and college career thinking he would be a physician, then while in school he found business intriguing.
"His meticulous focus on the details of what it takes to make patients safe and our customers satisfied is what made the difference there," Chisholm said. "He really was passionate about affecting the service of the organization so patients, physicians and employees would be happier. There are so many little things that make a difference, and they add up to make a big difference."
Lynn Mergen resigned as CEO of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center in March after holding the position for almost three years.
Linda Widra, the hospital's chief operating officer, served as its interim CEO and, Chisholm said, was the "clear choice" for the position until Wilson came into the picture.
"He was running a hospital as a CEO of our company already and doing a great job for us out there," he said. "He really turned things around there."
Change is inevitable in the hospital industry, Wilson said, and there's a constant need to re-calibrate and re-focus on patients to compete in the market.
Also, he said, it's important to make sure staff, physicians and patients - to the extent they can - enjoy being in the hospital.
Wilson is good at communicating with doctors and staff and is involved in his community, Chisholm said. One of the first things he will do at Lakewood Ranch is meet physicians who are active with the hospital, then those who aren't so active with it.
The medical center has made great progress at growing volumes and increasing its market share, but it hasn't yet met UHS' aggressive expectations of growth, Chisholm said.
When Wilson arrives at the hospital, he plans to attract specialists and businesses that will support patients and the community.
"It's relatively brand-new as far as hospitals go," he said. "It's a great anchor in the community and something we can grow and should grow."
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