James Varnum, who served as president of what is now Lebanon, N.H.-based Dartmouth Health’s flagship medical center for nearly three decades, died May 26 after several years of battling Parkinson’s disease, according to his obituary. He was 85.
Mr. Varnum was appointed president of Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in 1978 and led the institution through its transformation into Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, including the approvals, construction and 1991 relocation to the Lebanon campus. He continued leading DHMC through the rapid healthcare changes of the 1990s and 2000s before retiring in 2006.
“His vision and ability to listen to and work with everyone were pivotal factors in the medical center’s success,” his obituary states. “After his family, developing MHMH into a major regional medical center was one of his proudest achievements.”
Susan Reeves, EdD, RN, system chief nurse executive at Dartmouth Health, who worked under Mr. Varnum from 1980 to 2006, remembered his leadership style.
“Jim Varnum was a highly respected servant leader, long before servant leadership became popular in health care,” Ms. Reeves said. “We referred to him as ‘the people’s president.’ He seemed to know intuitively that in order to provide high-quality health care to patients and families, one must first care for the people of the organization. He was an excellent listener, led through influence rather than authority, and consistently fostered a sense of collaboration and shared purpose among those he led.
“He was never the loudest voice in the room — but he was almost always the most effective. Those of us who worked with Jim over the years have adopted many of his tried-and-true practices, such as writing personal notes to acknowledge colleagues, rounding on the off-shifts in all areas of the hospital, and showing up to celebrate employee milestones such as years of service or retirements. He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed.”
Before taking the role in New Hampshire, Mr. Varnum served as chief administrator of the University of Washington Hospital in Seattle and superintendent of the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison. He held a master’s degree in hospital administration from the University of Michigan.
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