Dr. Ihor Sawczuk has been named president of Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center, effective April 4.
Sawczuk is currently the hospital's chief medical officer. He joined its parent organization, Hackensack University Health Network, in 2001 as chairman of the department of urology, and has held several leadership positions since then, according to a news release.
“For 15 years, (we have) been fortunate to have Dr. Sawczuk as not only a physician, but as one of our most well-respected executive leaders,” said Robert Garrett, the system's president and CEO, in a statement.
During his tenure as chief academic officer, Sawczuk oversaw the medical center's affiliation agreements with Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington and Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., according to the release.
Hackensack University Health Network and Meridian Health are waiting to close a deal to create New Jersey's largest health system. The agreement, first announced last year, is expected to receive federal and state regulator approval within the next year.
The proposed merger would combine the network's $1.6 billion budget with the $1.5 billion operations of Meridian Health, based in Wall Township, N.J. The newly created system would operate nine acute-care hospitals and employ 25,000 workers. The system could add another two hospitals, should Meridian close its deal for Raritan Bay Medical Center, which has campuses in Perth Amboy and Old Bridge, N.J.
