VCU is preparing to oust its health system’s CEO

On Monday, the college notified Kellermann that he gained’t proceed because the well being system’s high administrator. VCU gave him the choice to resign, however it’s unclear if he’ll accomplish that.

A spokesperson for the college mentioned Kellermann is out of the workplace, however the spokesperson didn’t elaborate. Dr. Marlon Levy is the appearing well being sciences senior vice chairman and CEO of VCU Well being.

Staff had been notified on Monday. Kellermann declined to remark.

VCU introduced it can maintain a joint assembly of the college board of tourists and well being system board of administrators on Thursday. A majority of each boards is required to fireplace the CEO.

Kellermann oversaw the well being system throughout a tumultuous interval wherein the hospital grew to become overwhelmed with COVID-19 sufferers, nurses departed and the college was dealt a monetary blow.

But it surely additionally grew throughout his tenure, opening a brand new downtown constructing, persevering with development on one other and launching a brand new digital medical document.

VCU Well being, which employs greater than 13,000 individuals throughout 70 areas, employed Kellermann as its chief in July 2020. In late 2021, the omicron wave brought the highest influx of patients because the pandemic started, sporting staffers skinny. Nurses left in droves, forcing VCU Well being to depend on dearer journey nurses.

Elevated labor prices had been a serious contributor to VCU Well being finishing the 2022 fiscal year with a $56 million budget deficit, about 2% of its annual funds. Well being programs throughout the nation have confronted related monetary woes.

However VCU additionally had moments of main progress. In December, it opened the almost $400 million grownup outpatient pavilion. Across the similar time, it transitioned to a brand new digital medical document, Epic. By utilizing the identical software program as Bon Secours and hospitals throughout the nation, VCU medical doctors can now simply see the medical historical past of sufferers who’ve visited Bon Secours hospitals, and vice versa.

VCU additionally moved ahead on the development of a 16-story youngsters’s hospital tower scheduled to open within the spring.

Plenty of executives have come and gone from VCU Well being up to now two years. Dr. Peter Buckley, previously dean of the Faculty of Drugs, resigned final 12 months. He had served as interim CEO earlier than Kellermann got here on. Kellermann changed Dr. Marsha Rappley, who held the highest job for about 4 years.

Buckley’s departure got here days after chief info officer Susan Steagall mentioned she would depart.

To fill out the well being system’s administration, VCU employed Michael Elliott as chief working officer, James Siegel as chief monetary officer and Michael Roussos as president of VCU Medical Middle.

Kellermann got here to VCU from the F. Edward Hebert Faculty of Drugs on the Uniformed Providers College of the Well being Sciences in Maryland, the place he was dean. His specialty is emergency medication.

VCU President Michael Rao oversees each the college and its well being system.