Who: John Couris, 49
New role: President and CEO of Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital, a 1,011-bed safety net hospital, effective Sept. 1. He succeeds Jim Burkhart, who resigned in November at the request of the hospital's board.
Background: Since June 2010, Couris has served as president and CEO of not-for-profit Jupiter (Fla.) Medical Center. Previously he held leadership roles at facilities owned by BayCare, a health system based in Clearwater, Fla.
Leader in innovation: Tampa General is the teaching hospital for the University of South Florida. Couris said he will leverage that relationship to foster new initiatives, research and partnerships. "(Tampa General) is not only going to be a regional powerhouse, but we are going to help shape how healthcare is delivered in the state," he said.
Focus on access: Tampa General has the only Level 1 trauma center on Florida's Gulf Coast and is a major safety net provider in the state. Couris said he'd like to sit down with state officials, providers, policy experts and other stakeholders to ensure people have access to affordable healthcare. "I'm concerned about reimbursement and … the proposed Medicaid cuts," Couris said.