Jim McGovern, MD, is no longer chief executive of the PeaceHealth Oregon Region, the Vancouver, Wash.-based health system said in a May 14 statement shared with Becker’s.
Dr. McGovern’s exit comes about one month after he was placed on administrative leave pending a full review of concerns related to the scope of his administrative functions.
“Following a period of administrative leave, we determined that a leadership change was in the best interest of the organization,” PeaceHealth President and CEO Sarah Ness said in a statement.
PeaceHealth said Heather Wall, RN, interim chief executive for the Oregon network and chief nursing officer for the Oregon network, will continue serving in the interim role while the health system searches for a permanent chief executive for the region.
“Together, as we shape our future, PeaceHealth leaders are entrusted to consistently bring our mission and values to life by creating environments where caregivers and partners feel seen, heard, supported and inspired to do their best work,” Ms. Ness said. “We remain focused on delivering high-quality, compassionate care and supporting our caregivers as we move forward together.”
Dr. McGovern, who is not licensed to practice medicine in Oregon, was placed on leave in April after the RiverBend Medical Executive Committee raised concerns that he had attempted to influence patient care decisions, according to The Register-Guard.
PeaceHealth said May 14 that “a careful and thorough evaluation” of concerns raised by the Sacred Heart at RiverBend Medical Executive Committee regarding Dr. McGovern’s administrative role is still underway.
The committee also issued a formal reprimand and voted to report the matter to the Oregon Medical Board, according to the newspaper.
The situation unfolded amid a legal dispute over PeaceHealth’s proposed transition from Eugene Emergency Physicians to Atlanta-based ApolloMD for emergency department staffing in Lane County. Earlier this month, PeaceHealth and Eugene Emergency Physicians agreed to renew their contract after several days of court proceedings.
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