Posted: Thursday, June 28, 2012 4:48 pm

TGH President and CEO Ron Hytoff to Retire

Ron Hytoff, 66, president and chief executive officer of Tampa General Hospital and architect of one of the most remarkable hospital turnarounds in the country, Tuesday announced his retirement.

David A. Straz, Jr., chairman of the Florida Health Sciences Center, the governing body of the hospital, announced a nationwide search for a new CEO would begin immediately. He indicated internal candidates also would be considered.

Hytoff will remain as president and CEO during the transition, but that he expected to step down by June 2013 at the latest.

“Ron lifted TGH from the precipice of collapse and transformed it into the jewel it is today,” Straz said.

Hytoff became CEO in February 2000 and led a management team that transformed TGH from a financially distressed hospital to a thriving medical center that garnered national recognition for clinical excellence. Between 2000 and 2012, the hospital’s patient volumes doubled, and net revenues more than tripled from $350 million to $1.2 billion this year.

Hytoff came to TGH as chief operating officer in May 1997 from University of Louisville (KY) Hospital, where he served as president and CEO for six years. At the time of his arrival, Tampa General was losing millions of dollars a year and making the transition from a public to a private, not-for-profit hospital. That transition became official in October 1997.

He instituted a hospital-wide culture change with a focus on customer service, while establishing new relationships with local government officials and the medical staff. He also provided the leadership to help the hospital dig out of its financial quagmire to become a financially healthy institution.

The results of those efforts paid dividends as hospital admissions climbed dramatically and led to a period of major expansion of the hospital and its medical services. In 2007, the six-story, 340,000-sq ft Bayshore Pavilion started a phased opening featuring a new emergency and trauma Center, cardiovascular services, a new women’s center, an intensive care unit and digestive diagnostic and treatment center. Last year, the hospital completed the expansion and construction of an 82-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Under Hytoff’s leadership, the hospital started to receive national recognition for its medical programs and quality of its care. The transplant program this year became the fourth busiest center in the country. Since 2005 TGH has been named one of the country’s Top 50 hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. TGH became a designated Magnet hospital in 2005, the highest recognition a hospital can earn for the quality of its nursing care. And since 2007, TGH has been named a Consumer Choice Hospital. The award identifies hospitals that healthcare consumers perceive have the highest quality and image in the region.

New Director Arrives at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System

The Department of Veterans Affairs is pleased to announce the arrival of Suzanne M. Klinker as the new Director of the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System.  Klinker will oversee delivery of healthcare to more than 97,000 Veterans and an operating budget of $600 million at the nation’s fourth largest VA Medical Center.

Klinker joined the VA more than 17 years ago and has held progressive leadership positions at the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System; Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston; Alexandria, Louisiana; and the VA Western New York Healthcare System. Most recently, she served as the medical center director at the Battle Creek, Michigan VA Medical Center, which includes a 288-bed hospital, 100 bed community living center, and 104 bed residential rehabilitation facilities, as well as four outpatient clinics.

Klinker holds a Master of Science in Management from Baker University, Topeka, Kansas. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a graduate of the Veterans Health Administration’s Executive Career Field Development Program.

Northside Hospital Announces New Chief Nursing Officer

Northside Hospital recently named Cheryl Goforth as the new Chief Nursing Officer for the medical facility. Cheryl has been serving as the Interim CNO since February. Prior to her position at Northside, Cheryl was the Chief Nursing Officer for Trident Health System in Charleston, South Carolina.

Cheryl comes to us with over 35 years of hospital administration experience. She received her Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Broward Community College in Pompano Beach, Florida, and her Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Studies from Barry University.

St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital First in Tampa Bay to Receive Breastfeeding-Friendly Employer Award

St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital is the first business in the Tampa Bay area to receive the Gold Breastfeeding-Friendly Employer Award from the Florida Breastfeeding Coalition.  This prestigious award recognizes employers in the state of Florida who support the importance of breastfeeding and, as a result, provide a private, clean room for employees who are currently nursing their babies.

The Gold Breastfeeding Friendly Employer Award demonstrates the commitment that St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital has made to be breastfeeding-friendly, with lactation consultant support, a private nursing room, and reasonable break time for employees to express breast milk.

St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital Director of Patient Services Karen Howell said that breastfeeding is important and they support their  breastfeeding nurses.

For breastfeeding mothers, pumping breast milk is a way to maintain their milk production and allow the baby to receive benefits of breast milk when she is not available to nurse.

The Florida Breastfeeding Coalition presented the award to officials from St. Joseph’s on Monday, May 14, during a special ceremony.  Following the ceremony, St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital Chief Executive Officer Kimberly Guy participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the grand opening of the hospital’s Lactation Lounge.

TGH Security Director Honored For Distinguished Service by  Florida Hospital Association

Paul Ford, director of Safety, Security and Transportation at Tampa General Hospital, was honored recently with the 2012 Florida Society for Healthcare Security, Safety & Emergency Management Professionals Distinguished Service Award. The award is presented by the Florida Hospital Association to an individual who demonstrates extraordinary dedication to the organization and the healthcare field. Paul recently secured an educational grant that will provide free security training for hospital security officers throughout Florida.

Moffitt Cancer Center Schedule of Professional Programs for Physicians

Moffitt Grand Rounds (weekly event)

Fridays, 12:00 pm

Moffitt Cancer Center- Stabile Research Building, Tampa, Florida

Sheila.Findley@moffitt.org   813-745-2286

Gina.Woodward@moffitt.org  813-745-1741

Advances in the Management of Multiple Myeloma

June 22-23, 2012

The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Sheila.Findley@moffitt.org  813-745-2286

www.moffitt.org/mm2012

Moffitt at International Plaza Monthly CME Programs: Cancer Updates

Monthly, July 2012 – June 2013

Tampa, Florida

Call for specific dates and topics

Melissa.Pearson@moffitt.org 813-745-1247

9th Annual Clinical Breakthroughs & Challenges in Hematologic Malignancies

January 19, 2013

Lake Buena Vista, Orlando, Florida

Melissa.Pearson@moffitt.org 813-745-1247

Current Perspectives in Oncology Nursing: Annual Nursing Conference and Rhinehart Lecture Reception

February 20-22, 2013

Moffitt Cancer Center, Stabile Research Building, Tampa, Florida

Sheila.Findley@moffitt.org  813-745-2286

HCMA Announces New Officers

The Hillsborough County Medical Association, Inc. (HCMA), installed its new President, announced the new officers, representatives, and delegation members, and heard a presentation from AMA President, Peter Carmel, MD, at its Installation Membership Dinner held in May.

William A. Davison, MD, a Brandon Emergency Room physician, was installed as the Association’s 110th President, succeeding Mathis Becker, MD.

The following physicians have been elected to serve the Association:

• Christopher Pittman, MD – President Elect

• Devanand Mangar, MD  – Vice President

• Malcolm Root, MD – Treasurer

• David Lubin, MD – Secretary

Executive Council – 2 year term

• Colin Beach, MD – At Large

• David Mason, MD  – At Large

• Anthony Pidala, MD – At Large

• Husain Nagamia, MD – District 1

• Lori Slezak, MD – District 3

Board of Censors – 3 year term

• Edward Farrior, MD

• Deborah Trehy, MD

• HILLPAC Board of Directors

• William Davison, MD

• Edward Homan, MD

• Jose Jimenez, MD

• Frank Mastandrea, MD

• Christopher Pittman, MD

• Michael Wasylik, MD

Delegates to the Florida Medical Association

Drs. Dennis Agliano, David Halpern, Catherine Lynch, Devanand Mangar, David Mason, Frank Mastandrea, Husain Nagamia, Christopher Pittman, Martha Price, Malcolm Root, Barbara Sanford, Bruce Shephard, Lori Slezak, Stephen Szabo, Deborah Trehy, Mark Vaaler, Mani Vindhya,  and Jason Wilson.