Mesa View Regional Hospital announced that Ned Hill stepped down from his role as CEO on Dec. 8 to pursue other opportunities.
The announcement was made to the hospital staff Dec. 9.
“Kelly H. Adams has been named interim CEO of Mesa View Regional Hospital. Adam’s depth of experience and strong regional connection will benefit Mesa View as we continue to combat COVID-19 in our community,” said a press release from MVRH. “We appreciate Ned’s service to the hospital over the past two years and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
The interim CEO Adams has more than 30 years of executive leadership in hospitals and health systems in Florida, Washington, and most recently in Nevada and Arizona, the press release said. “Kelly brings a depth of experience, strong regional connection, and commitment to quality, which will serve us well in the interim period. He earned a Master of Public Administration from the Tennessee State University and completed HealthTrust executive fellowships in Nashville, TN, Oxford, England, and Detroit, Michigan.”
Hill set off a firestorm among community residents in October 2018 when the hospital announced it was closing its inpatient labor and delivery and nursery services. The city said that would violate the provisions of a 2002 development agreement that the hospital provide an obstetrics unit with a nursery.
The hospital cited a declining birth rate in Mesquite as the basis for its move saying “Over the past several years the demand for inpatient obstetrical services has decreased by more than 74 percent. In 2008 Mesa View had 236 deliveries for the year as compared to only 63 deliveries in 2017, or about 1 delivery per week.” The hospital said it would cost about $50,000 a month to continue providing the services and that it was not cost effective to do so.
Shortly afterwards, the city filed a lawsuit against the hospital saying it had violated its development agreement by closing the services.
Beginning in late February 2019, Hill began negotiating with Mesquite Mayor Al Litman and the council members directly. Two council members, Brian Wursten and George Rapson, refused to communicate directly with Hill saying it was the city attorney’s responsibility to negotiate.
The mayor and three councilors, Annie Black, George Gault, and Sandra Ramaker continued discussing a proposed settlement directly with Hill through email correspondence and face-to-face meetings. Litman said no violations of the open meeting law occurred in the negotiations.
The lawsuit was later settled and the development agreement dissolved.
Carol Thatcher says
.I was so fortunate to meet the whole family of Ned Hill and I’m so sorry that they are going to be leaving they were wonderful wonderful family I met them at the rec center where they worked out faithfully darn I hate to see them go what a nice man to talk to so sorry.