Bassett Healthcare Network’s president and chief executive officer is leaving after less than four years in the position.
Bassett Healthcare Network’s board of directors announced in a Wednesday media release that Dr. Tommy Ibrahim has decided to leave the organization at the end of the year. The board quickly named an interim successor, announcing that directors voted to appoint Staci Thompson, Bassett’s current executive vice president and chief operating officer, to the job. Thompson will assume the role of interim CEO on Jan. 1, 2024.
“Since joining Bassett Healthcare Network in 2020, Tommy has put his visionary leadership to work for Bassett by continuing the transformation of Bassett’s hospitals and other facilities into a more integrated delivery system, forging strong partnerships with forward-thinking organizations and re-imagining the possibilities for how and where care can be delivered,” said Doug Hastings, chair of Bassett’s board of directors.
“It has been an honor and privilege to lead this amazing organization and to work alongside Doug Hastings, the Bassett Healthcare Network board, and multitudes of wonderful people,” Ibrahim said in the release. “Without question, the accomplishment I am most proud of is building a strong executive leadership team to guide the organization forward in this next chapter.
“I have the utmost confidence that Staci’s operational expertise and rigor is exactly what the organization needs to ensure Bassett is functioning at its best today while continuing to plan for the future,” he said.
According to the release, Thompson joined Bassett in 2023, coming from The Guthrie Clinic, where she held several executive leadership positions, including executive vice president and chief operating officer for Guthrie Medical Group. In her current role as chief operating officer, Thompson “has made strides in areas critical to Bassett’s continued success, including operational performance, quality, and patient experience,” the release said.
“Staci is a respected, experienced leader with a real heart for rural healthcare,” Hastings said. “Her passion for Bassett and the people we serve, along with her demonstrated operational expertise, makes Staci the right person to lead the organization forward. In her role as interim CEO, Staci will focus on continuing to improve our core operations while upholding our commitment to being a national model for rural healthcare delivery.”
“I am honored that the rich legacy of Bassett has been entrusted to me. Surrounded by the capable team of leaders at Bassett, I have confidence in our ability to never miss a beat in providing the care that our patients expect,” Thompson said. “My immediate focus is the Bassett team. Bassett’s physicians, advanced practice clinicians, nurses, other clinical professionals, and administrative and support staff ensure that Bassett can provide the care that our communities deserve. Recruitment and engagement of the Bassett team is at the core of operational excellence and a top priority for me in this role.”
Over the coming weeks, the release said, Ibrahim and Thompson “will work together with the Bassett Healthcare Network board of directors and executive leadership team to ensure a smooth transition of leadership.”