In agreeing to temporarily take over the company that runs Medical College of Georgia Hospital and Clinics, Sandra I. McVicker said her goal is to reach out to the health system's partners.
Mrs. McVicker, the senior vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer for MCG Health Inc., was appointed interim president/CEO by University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr., effective immediately, the health system announced Monday. She takes over for departing CEO Don Snell, who resigned last week.
"Obviously this just occurred last Wednesday in terms of Mr. Snell stepping down or resigning," Mrs. McVicker said. "And so consequently what we're looking at is just trying to pull the team together to stabilize all three sections" to include the school and the organization representing the school's doctors, Physicians Practice Group.
Mrs. McVicker said key officials from all three began meeting last week to "start working together as a team more. And look at collaboration and what is our shared vision for the whole health system."
She is not nervous about taking over as interim CEO, having done it twice before at Adena Regional Medical Center in Chillicothe, Ohio, and at Kennedy Memorial Hospital and University Medical Center in Stratford, N.J.
Mrs. McVicker has worked herself up the administration ladder since joining MCG Health in 1997 and took charge of nursing in 2004. Her interim appointment will be ratified by the company board's executive committee at its Nov. 25 meeting. She said she expects to be in the position six to nine months. A search for a successor CEO has not begun, but it will likely be influenced by the school's search for a replacement for departing President Daniel W. Rahn, Mrs. McVicker said.
While her position may be temporary, it will not be one of standing pat, Mrs. McVicker said.
"The one thing that has to happen is we cannot stop where we are," she said. "We have to continue and build on what Mr. Snell has started with us here. And I feel that with the team, we can do that, as a whole team."
Reach Tom Corwin at (706) 823-3213 or tom.corwin@augustachronicle.com.
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