COLUMBIA, Tenn. — The Maury Regional Health (MRH) Board of Trustees has appointed Chief Medical Officer Martin Chaney, M.D., to serve as the interim CEO, according to MRH Board Chair Houston Parks.
Dr. Chaney, who will assume the role on October 3, has more than 25 years of clinical and operational experience, including 18 years at Maury Regional Health where his responsibilities have included the areas of clinical quality, physician recruitment and the Hospital Medicine program. He received his medical degree from University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama, and completed his internship and residency at University of South Alabama Hospitals and Clinics. He is board certified in internal medicine and pediatrics.
“Dr. Chaney’s expertise and leadership at the organization have been invaluable, particularly during the pandemic,” said Parks. “He has been working closely with current CEO Alan Watson to make this transition seamless and I am confident that he will provide outstanding leadership in this interim position until a new CEO is selected.”
In June, current CEO Alan Watson announced his plans to retire. He will be returning to his hometown of Cleveland, Tennessee, to spend more time with his family and plans to consult part-time. A national search is currently underway to select Watson’s replacement.
“Maury Regional Health has a long history of strong leadership that has culminated in the organization being among the best performers in the nation and one of our community’s greatest assets,” said Parks. “We are grateful for Alan’s leadership over the past 11 years and the strong leadership team that currently serves at Maury Regional Health.”
Watson has served as CEO for the organization since 2012 following his promotion from chief operating officer, a position which he held from February 2010 until November 2012. During his leadership, the organization garnered national recognitions for quality and safety, including being named a 15 Top Health System six times since 2011. Other organizational accomplishments include opening a new Cancer Center and Critical Care floor, establishing a joint venture with TriStar Health to develop Pinewood Springs mental health hospital, implementing a new electronic medical record, establishing a robotic surgery program and achieving Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Parks anticipates that the selection process will take several months and emphasized the Board’s commitment to the community in selecting the ideal candidate.
“We are looking for the characteristics in a new leader that our past CEOs have embodied and utilized to drive Maury Regional’s success, including a proven track record of performance in the organization’s key metrics for quality, finance, people and patient experience,” said Parks.