Healthcare organizations across the globe are undergoing significant changes as several high-profile executive appointments and layoffs have been reported recently. This monthly summary highlights notable movements within the industry, showcasing both new leadership and challenging workforce adjustments.
Executive Appointments and Promotions
The Joint Commission, an independent nonprofit organization that accredits healthcare organizations, appointed Arjun Srinivasan as its new deputy chief medical officer. Srinivasan previously spent 22 years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where he held the position of deputy director for the division of healthcare quality promotion.
In another notable appointment, Kaya Pai Panandiker has joined LB Pharmaceuticals as its chief commercial officer. She transitions from Neumora Therapeutics, where she held the same title. Before that, Panandiker was responsible for commercial strategy at Cerevel Therapeutics and served as the general manager of neuroscience at Lundbeck U.S.
Healthcare engagement platform mPulse welcomed Eileen Cianciolo as its chief product officer. Cianciolo previously led product and innovation initiatives at Clarity Software Solutions, a company recently acquired by mPulse.
Population health company Navvis has announced the hiring of Jeff Gleason as its chief medical officer. Gleason, who has held executive roles at Guidehouse, Lumeris, and Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network, brings a wealth of experience to the position.
Oregon Health & Science University appointed Tarek Salaway as its next CEO, effective December 15. Salaway is currently a senior vice president at Kaiser Permanente, overseeing regional strategy and operations for its health plans.
In further leadership changes, Marcel Reichen has been named chief strategy officer at Ratio Therapeutics, moving from Novartis, where he focused on business development and strategy for new cancer therapies. Meanwhile, Regard, a startup providing AI tools for healthcare, has appointed David Kirk as its new chief medical officer, previously serving as a physician and chief clinical integration officer at WakeMed in North Carolina.
Promotions within existing organizations have also made headlines. Matthew Zuino will assume the role of CEO at Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Florida, starting January 17. Zuino has been with Baptist since 2017 and has served as COO since 2020, following a 16-year tenure at Virtua Health in New Jersey. He will succeed Michael Mayo, who has been with Baptist for nearly 15 years.
The Cigna Group appointed Amy Flaster as its new chief medical officer, having previously served as chief medical officer of Cigna Healthcare. Flaster has a decade of experience as an internal medicine physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Optum Health, part of UnitedHealth Group, promoted Krista Nelson to CEO after she joined the company earlier this year as COO. Nelson has a long-standing history with UnitedHealth Group, having held various leadership roles since 2009.
Finally, Megan Scheffel has been appointed as the new head of life science and healthcare banking at Silicon Valley Bank, a position she takes after more than two decades with the bank.
Significant Layoffs Across the Sector
While leadership changes signal growth and opportunity for some organizations, the healthcare sector is also facing significant layoffs. Oak Street Health announced plans to eliminate 219 jobs early next year due to a restructuring by its parent company, CVS Health.
Optum is set to close nearly 90 of its clinics in New Jersey, leading to layoffs for approximately 572 employees. These job cuts are expected to occur primarily in February and March.
Additionally, PacificSource is eliminating 300 positions, accounting for roughly one-sixth of its workforce. The organization cited financial pressures, including a notable decline in Medicaid membership, as the reason for these layoffs.
The Providence health system has also announced significant cuts, with 446 roles being eliminated, including 296 in Washington and 150 in Oregon. The health system cited ongoing financial challenges as the driving factor behind these layoffs.
Lastly, Pennsylvania-based Tower Health is laying off 350 employees, impacting primarily administrative staff, non-clinical support roles, and some frontline healthcare workers, also due to financial pressures.
The current landscape of the healthcare sector reveals a mix of opportunity and challenge, with new leadership aimed at navigating these turbulent times while addressing workforce adjustments.
