FRAMINGHAM — MetroWest Medical Center is looking for its fifth chief executive in as many years, as David Elgarico resigned just six months after moving across the country to take the job.
The news throws yet another challenge at the embattled hospital, which took its latest dose of criticism when city officials learned it had diverted ambulances arriving with women in labor during the past two holiday weekends. — December 24th to 25th and again on December 31st and January 1st — due to lack of staff.
Shelly Weiss, director of public affairs for Tenet Healthcare, the Dallas-based company that owns and operates MetroWest Medical Center, confirmed to the Daily News that Elgarico has resigned, effective immediately. She said that Elgarico is going back to Oregon, where his family lives.
John Whitlock, chief financial officer of the St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester (also a Tenet hospital), will serve as interim CEO of MetroWest Medical Center, according to Weiss.
More:After service, personnel changes, what’s going on at MetroWest Medical Center?
Elgarico came to MetroWest Medical Center from McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center in Oregon, where he served as CEO and oversaw the largest revenue-generating hospital in the Quorum Health system, according to an earlier announcement by MWMC. He succeeded Ava Collins, who announced her resignation last April after 16 months in the job.
Collins succeeded Drew Harding, who was promoted from director of nursing to CEO in 2018 following the departure of Jeffrey Liebman.
More:Ambulance diversions are the latest cause for concern at MetroWest Medical Center
MetroWest Medical Center has come under fire in recent months from local politicians and stakeholders who have spoken out about its reduction in local services.
Last year, the hospital announced it would end treatment services at its cancer center, prompting Tufts Medical Center to be hired to run that service. MetroWest Medical Center also ended on-site interpreter services. Last April, the hospital instructed emergency personnel to divert patients due to an IT issue.
Whitlock will be joined by Naomi Seymour, who is being hired to be acting head of nursing. — Daniel Wright resigned from his post earlier this month. She is an associate director of nursing at a Tenet facility in Florida.
MetroWest Medical Center cited staffing issues involving nurses as an issue that led to the ambulance diversions, and previous nurses have spoken out, saying the hospital pays rates much lower than the area’s standard.
MetroWest Medical Center includes Framingham Union Hospital at 115 Lincoln St. in Framingham, and Leonard Morse Hospital at 67 Union St. in Natick. The latter is focused on behavioral health.