Broward Health chooses 3 finalists for permanent CEO position

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Broward Health interviewed three finalists for the permanent CEO role, taking over from interim CEO Pauline Grant, according to a Sun Sentinel report.

The finalists are:

•    Timothy J. Harlin, the chief operating and acceleration officer of the Denver Health and Hospital Authority, a safety-net hospital system. He earned a master's degree in business administration from Emory University in Atlanta.
•    Brett S. McClung, the executive vice president of Arlington-based Texas Health Resources. He previously was president of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth.
•    Christopher T. Olivia, MD, the former president of Marlton, N.J.-based Continuum Health Alliance, a physician management company with more than 1,200 primary care physicians. He is the only physician among the finalists.

Broward Health has interviewed the finalists, and the board will make its decision at an Oct. 31 meeting.  

Broward Health has been in the news for the better part of 2016 — beginning in January when Nabil El Sanadi, MD, Broward's then president and CEO, was found dead in his condominium from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dr. El Sanadi took over the system at a difficult time. In September 2015, the system ended a five-year government investigation into allegations that it held improper physician contracts to submit tens of millions of false claims to Medicare and Medicaid. The system agreed to pay $69.5 million to the government.

After Dr. El Sanadi's death, Broward named Kevin Fusco acting president and CEO. He was demoted, however, following complaints of administrative chaos that could threaten patient care. Pauline Grant replaced Mr. Fusco on an interim basis in March, the same month in which the Florida Attorney General's Office demanded the health system pay more than $5.3 million for alleged violations of Stark Law and Florida's Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act. Broward said the settlement demand represents a state claim related to the September 2015 settlement.

In addition to these troubles, Broward terminated its contract with KPMG in September of this year, after the firm rejected an addendum that would have extensively restricted KPMG's inquiry powers into Broward's activities. This may make it difficult for the health system to complete its annual financial audit by the Dec. 31 deadline.

One of the three finalists will take on the numerous challenges the public hospital system faces.

"They were well prepared with questions about all that has transpired at Broward Health during the last year or so," Maureen Canada, a board member told the Sun Sentinel. "All the candidates seemed prepared for any challenges that are ahead for the district."

The new CEO could earn up to $950,000 for the first year, as per Broward Health's contract with its executive search firm DiversifiedSearch, which the board approved in April.

  

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