Dr. Lynda Ann Smirz named chief medical officer of Universal Health's acute-care division, and other news

Universal Health Services, King of Prussia, Pa., named Dr. Lynda Ann Smirz to the newly created role of VP and chief medical officer of its acute-care division. Smirz, who joined UHS in January, previously was VP of surgical services and CMO for Indiana University Health North Hospital, Carmel, a hospital owned by Indiana University Health, Indianapolis. Smirz's age was not provided. … Dr. Robert McGregor was hired as the first chief medical officer at Akron (Ohio) Children's Hospital, effective Jan. 14. Previously, McGregor, 57, was the pediatrician-in-chief and interim pediatrics chairman at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia and a pediatrics professor at the Drexel University College of Medicine. … Havasu Regional Medical Center, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., chose F. Dana Ellerbe as its new CEO. Ellerbe, 58, had served since October as interim CEO of the hospital, part of publicly traded LifePoint Hospitals, Brentwood, Tenn. He assumed leadership from Sandra Podley , who is now administrator at Presbyterian Hospital, Albuquerque. Ellerbe previously was VP of ancillary services for Marin General Hospital, Greenbrae, Calif. … Janie Hilfiger was named president of Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital, Wellsboro, Pa., effective Feb. 1. Hilfiger, 54, started as a staff nurse at Soldiers and Sailors and for the past 12 years was the hospital's chief nursing executive. As president she succeeds Jan Fisher, who was named COO of Susquehanna Health System, Williamsport, Pa., when Soldiers and Sailors and its parent, Laurel Health System, joined Susquehanna last September.

Thomas Leary was named VP of government relations for the Chicago-based Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, replacing Dave Roberts , who was elected last year to a seat on the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors. Leary has served as senior director of federal affairs for HIMSS since 2003. Previously, Leary was division manager for health IT systems developer Science Applications International Corp., and he worked for the Defense Department, including as special assistant to the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs. … Glooko, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based developer of a mobile logbook for people with diabetes, hired Rick Altinger as CEO. Altinger, 48, takes over the role from Yogen Dalal , the company's co-founder and chairman who had been serving as CEO on an interim basis. Altinger most recently served as VP of channel partners for Intuit Health.