Bartlett Regional Hospital’s board and medical staff leaders met in a special session on Wednesday evening to discuss the replacement of top leadership positions. CEO Rose Lawhorne and Chief Behavioral Health Officer Bradley Grigg stepped down in mid-September.
Kathy Callahan, retired director of Physician Services, stepped in as CEO for the next six weeks until the board selects an interim leader.
“We would expect that person to stay in the role for typically 4 to 6 months while the organization does a search for our permanent CEO to replace Rose,” she said.
Callahan says the board has already begun its hiring process for the interim position.
“They are well on their way to selecting someone. There have been interviews by board members earlier this week. And they’re hoping that there’s a special board meeting next week to finalize and potentially extend an offer to the top candidate,” Callahan said.
In the behavioral health department, Grigg’s work has been assigned to Alice Nichols who has been working there since February. That position will also have an interim replacement until the permanent CEO can make a hire.
Callahan said there is “significant disruption” in the behavioral health department. Bartlett has reduced the number of mental health beds available due to staffing concerns.
