The Greene County Medical Center board of trustees announced Thursday that chief executive officer Carl Behne resigned this week. Behne has accepted a position as chief strategy officer of Exemplar Care PLC in West Des Moines, where he will work to expand access, affordability, and transparency to direct primary care for patients in central Iowa.
Behne was CEO at the medical center for eight years. “Carl has played a critical role in the development and success of Greene County Medical Center, and while his leadership will be missed, the medical center stands strong to meet the needs of the healthcare demands of the future,” said board chairperson Jim Schleisman.
The board of trustees, together with UnityPoint Health – Des Moines, will begin an immediate search for a new chief executive officer for Greene County Medical Center. During this time of transition, the hospital will be under interim supervision of the current leadership team of chief nurse executive Katie Heldt, chief operating officer Christa Simons, and chief administrative officer/chief financial officer Heather Paris.
The process of hiring a new CEO is likely to take several months. “In the meantime, Greene County Medical Center staff, supported by UnityPoint Health – Des Moines, will continue to be Always Here, Always Caring for our patients, our families and our communities,” a press release stated.
Editor’s note: Exemplar Care was formed by Dr Jon Van der Veer after he left practicing at the UnityPoint Clinic in Jefferson in 2016.
