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Jackson Hospital in Montgomery, Alabama, announced a new leadership amid ongoing bankruptcy proceedings. The hospital announced on Monday, November 3, that it appointed John Quinlivan as CEO, along with a new three-person Board of Trustees that assumed leadership on October 31. Why It Matters This news comes as Jackson Hospital is currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy and reorganization proceedings. In a press release, the hospital said the new board “brings vital healthcare and financial competencies to guide the organization through restructuring, a feasible bankruptcy recovery plan, essential infrastructure repairs, payer contract improvements and operational resets that are vital in positioning Jackson Hospital to serve the healthcare needs of the community for generations to come.” What To Know Jackson Hospital has served the central Alabama community since it opened in 1946. Today, the hospital has 344 beds and various specialties including cardiac, cancer, neurosciences, orthopedics and women's and children's care, as well as 24-hour emergency services. Charles Evans, the new chairman of the Board of Trustees, previously served as the president of the Eastern Group at HCA Healthcare and launched International Health Services Group in 2007 to support health services development in underserved areas of the world. The other two board members include Jeff Crudele, who recently served as chief financial officer of the Allegheny Health Network, and Gary M. Murphey, a former CEO, CFO and chief restructuring officer with experience in financial examinations, forensic accounting and managing financially distressed companies. The board’s first order of business was to appoint Quinlivan as CEO. Quinlivan is a veteran of the United States Army Medical Service Corps and worked with HCA Healthcare for 19 years, overseeing hospitals in Florida and Georgia. According to the press release, Quinlivan's focus as CEO is to return the hospital to a state of efficient operations by working with the board to "present and implement a restructuring plan to avoid hospital closure, bring it out of bankruptcy and establish it as a care facility that is healthy and stable." These leadership moves come as the hospital remains in bankruptcy proceedings. Back in February, Jackson Healthcare announced that its parent company, Jackson Investment Group, would provide a debtor- in-possession (DIP) loan to Jackson Hospital & Clinic, allowing it to stay open amid the proceedings. Jackson Hospital intended to match $25 million loan with supplemented funds expected from the state of Alabama, Montgomery County and the city of Montgomery. This loan meant Jackson Hospital would reorganize its operations and implement financial restructuring while continuing to provide care to the community. Despite Jackson Healthcare, Jackson Investment Group and Jackson Hospital & Clinic all sharing "Jackson" in their names, Jackson Hospital & Clinic is under separate ownership and operations. In a statement at the time, Jackson Healthcare President Shane Jackson said providing the hospital the interim loan “was just the right thing to do.” “As a long-standing client of ours, we know the critical work it performs,” he said. “The people of Montgomery and the surrounding areas count on and respect this wonderful institution among the other excellent healthcare providers in the community. Helping ensure current and future patients continue to have access to care is vital – as is providing support during this transitional period to help Jackson Hospital & Clinic emerge even stronger on the other side.” What People Are Saying Jackson Hospital CEO John Quinlivan said in a statement: “Jackson Hospital has been through tremendous challenges, but I’ve seen what’s possible when you combine caring, engaged leadership with dedicated staff to make the changes needed for the health and vitality of critical community facilities like this. The foundation is here. Now we need to bring together the right plan, the right partnerships and relentless execution to ensure Jackson Hospital can continue serving Montgomery and the Alabama River Region.” Jackson Hospital Board Chairman Charles Evans said in a statement: “We are fortunate to have someone of John Quinlivan’s caliber leading Jackson Hospital through this critical period. His proven track record of revitalizing hospitals and driving operational excellence makes him the ideal leader for this moment in Jackson Hospital’s journey. Together with our Board of Trustees’ combined experience, we’re committed to doing the hard work that this hospital and the community of Montgomery deserve to help stabilize the healthcare institution and pave the path for its long-term success.” Newsweek reached out to Jackson Hospital and Jackson Healthcare for comment.
