In a monthly round-up of recent executive changes within the healthcare sector, significant appointments and departures have been reported, as well as upcoming trends in the industry. The hiring landscape is characterised by notable leadership shifts across various healthcare organisations as they adapt to evolving challenges and opportunities.

Humana has announced the appointment of Japan Mehta as its new Chief Information Officer (CIO), set to take over in the first quarter of 2025. Mehta, who is currently the chief data officer at Citi, brings extensive experience from leadership roles at major firms such as JPMorgan, Barclays, and Verizon. He will succeed Sam Deshpande, who plans to retire at the end of 2024.

Meanwhile, Intermountain Health based in Salt Lake City has appointed Ryan Smith to the role of chief digital and information officer, effective early 2025. Smith is familiar with the organization, having spent nearly two decades in various leadership roles from 1994 to 2013 and serving as CIO from 2020 to 2022. He recently worked as interim president and CEO at digital health startup Graphite Health.

The Mayo Clinic has also made a significant move by welcoming Nari Gopala as its new chief digital officer, succeeding Rita Khan. Gopala previously held the position of chief digital officer at Kaiser Permanente, with prior leadership experience at prominent technology companies such as Amazon Web Services and Sony Online Entertainment.

In governance, the National Association of ACOs (NAACOS) is set to welcome Emily Brower as its new president and CEO in February. Brower, currently the senior vice president of clinical integration and physician services at Trinity Health, takes over from Clif Gaus, who has led NAACOS since its inception in 2012.

Rula Health, a behavioural health platform, has welcomed two executives: Mark Khavkin as chief financial officer and Prashanthi Raman as chief external affairs officer. Khavkin has over 15 years of financial leadership experience from companies including MinIO and Pantheon, while Raman brings over two decades of experience as an attorney and public policy executive from firms such as Lyft and Cruise.

Aparna Abburi has been appointed as the senior vice president of population health and health plan services at Sutter Health. She will also serve as the CEO of Sutter Health Plan, having previously worked in leadership roles at UnitedHealth Group, Centene, and Cigna.

On the promotions front, Amwell has broadened the responsibilities of its newly appointed CFO, Mark Hirschhorn, who will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer alongside his CFO responsibilities starting January 1. Consulting firm Avalere Health has named Amar Urhekar as its new CEO, having previously served as COO. The Federation of American Hospitals has elevated Don May to executive vice president, where he will spearhead the organisation's policy team starting January 1.

However, the month has also seen significant departures, including the announcement from Amwell that two of its executives, Kathy Weiler and Kurt Knight, will leave at the end of 2024. Brian Gragnolati, the CEO of Atlantic Health System, has also announced his retirement. Gragnolati has dedicated 45 years to healthcare, leading Atlantic Health since 2015. Additionally, Margaret O’Kane, president of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), has declared her intent to retire at the end of 2025.

The current landscape also reflects challenges in the industry, as CVS Health plans to lay off 164 remote employees connected to its Aetna division due to an unexpected contract loss in Kansas. Medical device manufacturer Masimo will see 75 employees laid off in January, and Optum has announced 34 job cuts due to a business sale. A significant move in Pennsylvania involves Steward Health Care, which is set to close the Sharon Regional Medical Center, leading to 848 layoffs.

This summary illustrates a dynamic period within healthcare organisations, as they navigate leadership changes and address the impacts of layoffs while continuing to innovate in response to an evolving industry landscape.

Source: Noah Wire Services