Wilkes-Barre General Hospital has named Michael Clark to serve as its new chief executive officer, the facility's board of directors announced Tuesday.
Clark had been serving as interim CEO since earlier this year, hospital owner Commonwealth Health said in a release.
He formerly served as division president at Tennessee-based LifePoint Health, the release said.
According to a post by Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Clark was named CEO of that facility in 2016 — also after having served as interim CEO there. It was not immediately clear how long he stayed in that role, but news reports indicate that the hospital had a different CEO by 2018.
“Michael has proven to be a transformational leader during his time as Interim CEO,” Wilkes-Barre General board Chair Justin C. Matus said.
“His vision, energy and focus on quality care have already made a measurable impact," Matus added. "We are confident in his ability to lead Wilkes-Barre General Hospital into a bright and sustainable future.”
CHS hospitals struggling
Clark's appointment comes at a time when Commonwealth Health's Northeast Pennsylvania hospitals face ongoing financial challenges and an uncertain future.
CHS and its parent organization, Tenneesee-based Community Health Systems, have been looking to sell Moses Taylor Hospital and Regional Hospital of Scranton, with community organizations subsidizing those hospitals in the meanwhile.
Wilkes-Barre General Hospital last year was included in a failed sale proposal. In December, state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski said CHS would keep Wilkes-Barre General. The company has not publicly confirmed that.
All three hospitals have mostly lost money in recent years, according to the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, although Wilkes-Barre General appears to be stemming those losses somewhat.
In fiscal 2023 expenses outpaced revenues by 24.1% at Moses Taylor; 9.5% at Regional and 15.7% at Wilkes-Barre General, according to the report.
Regional and Moses Taylor now operate under one license. CHS consolidated the emergency rooms at the Scranton facilities in 2023, closing Moses Taylor’s ER.
According to the council's recently released fiscal 2024 report, expenses outpaced revenues by 20.6% at the combined Regional Hospital of Scranton and 6.19% at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.
Clark's experience
Clark has more than 30 years of healthcare leadership experience "and brings a deep understanding of hospital operations, physician engagement and performance improvement to the role," according to the CHS release.
"Clark is known for his collaborative approach and is deeply committed to building strong relationships with medical staff and team members. His leadership style emphasizes inclusion, accountability and continuous improvement," the release added.
"The board of directors welcomes Clark’s continued leadership and looks forward to the next chapter in Wilkes-Barre General Hospital’s history," the release said.
