The following release was sent by SMDH on Friday, Feb. 4:
The Board of Trustees at Salem Memorial District Hospital (SMDH) has named Bill May as their Interim CEO, effective Friday, February 4th, 2022. Bill May will be onsite starting Monday, February 7th. The SMDH Board of Directors voted on Thursday, February 3, 2022, to terminate Kasey Lucas as CEO. The board voted 6-0, on both.
Mr. May has over 30 years of CEO experience in rural hospitals similar to SMDH and is affiliated with Rural Hospital Group (RHG). RHG and its partners have worked with over 800 hospitals in 42 states, a large percentage being rural providers. RHG was founded to help keep health care accessible to rural communities through professional management. RHG leaders have extensive experience developing and operating hospitals in rural settings.
RHG was brought into SMDH by the Board of Directors for an initial period of 90 days to assist the hospital in responding to the financial crisis sweeping the rural hospital industry which has partially been caused by the ongoing global pandemic.
Beginning February 7th RHG will begin discussion with staff, providers and the community in an effort to stabilize and improve operations for SMDH.
