Dr. Barbara Griffith will become the chief executive at Woman's Hospital this fall, the Baton Rouge, La.-based facility announced Monday.
Griffith will assume the role from Robert Burgess, who has served as interim CEO since Teri Fontenot's retirement earlier this year. The emergency medicine physician is currently chief medical officer and chief of business operations for Duke Regional Hospital in Durham, N.C., where she led business development and strategy for clinical programs with a focus on care quality and safety.
"Her expertise in healthcare delivery and strategy, balanced with the compassion and commitment of a physician, are the perfect combination to lead the organization's strategic direction," said Donna Fraiche, board chair of Woman's Hospital, in prepared remarks.
Prior to Duke Regional, Griffith was chief financial officer of Durham Emergency Physicians, the medical practice that staffs Duke Regional's emergency department.
The American College of Emergency Physicians and American College of Healthcare Executives member will take the helm at Woman's, which has one of the largest delivery services in the country and cares for infants who are extremely premature, critically ill or require surgery. Griffith is among an increasing number of physicians, although predominantly male, who are taking on the CEO role at hospitals and health systems.
The not-for-profit hospital reported operating income of $25 million on net patient revenue of $272.4 million in 2018, up from an operating loss of $13.7 million on $271.5 million of net patient revenue in 2017 largely due to a loss in extinguishment of debt, according to Modern Healthcare's financial database. Adult and neonatal intensive-care unit admissions declined 2.8% combined year over year.
