GASTONIA, N.C., July 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CaroMont Health announced it has retained Witt/Kieffer in its search for a new CEO. The decision follows an RFP process in which executive search firms from around the country were reviewed by CaroMont's Search Committee.

"The committee is charged with finding a visionary leader, strategic thinker and experienced health care executive who inspires excellence in others and who strives to work collaboratively across all constituencies served by CaroMont Health," said CaroMont Health Board of Trustees Chairman Spurgeon Mackie, who heads the Search Committee. "After hours of careful deliberation about the search firms under consideration, we believe Witt/Kieffer presents the best team to help us achieve this goal."

In May, CaroMont Health announced that President and CEO Valinda Rutledge was selected by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to serve as Director of the Patient Care Models Group at the CMS's new Center of Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. Doug Luckett, CaroMont's Executive Vice President, Operational Integration and Chief Operating Officer, is currently serving as acting CEO.

The Witt/Kieffer team will be meeting with the Search Committee to develop a process and timetable for the search. Witt/Kieffer is based in Oak Brook, Ill with offices nationwide and has been providing executive search services to health care organizations for more than 40 years. Witt/Kieffer Senior Vice President Andrew Chastain is based in the firm's Atlanta, GA office and will be the lead consultant in the search. "We are looking forward to this opportunity," commented Chastain. "A significant part of the process will include interviews with a wide variety of CaroMont stakeholders in order to ensure that we create an accurate profile for the ideal CEO."

"We considered many variables in making this selection, including the ability to understand our organization, quality of work, professionalism, cultural fit between the search firm and CaroMont, access to talent, and cost," Mackie said. "Witt/Kieffer brings a depth of resources and a breadth of industry knowledge that will serve us well in finding the individual who is the right fit for CaroMont Health."

Potential candidates for the CEO position at CaroMont Health should contact Andrew Chastain at Witt/Kieffer by email, andrewc@wittkieffer.com or by phone, 404-233-1370.

About CaroMont Health –

CaroMont Health in Gastonia, North Carolina, is a regional, independent, not-for-profit health care system and nationally-recognized "value-based" health care provider (high quality, low cost). CaroMont Health is the only hospital in the region named by Thomson Reuters as a 100 Top Hospital for quality care and is one of two HealthGrades' Clinical Excellence recipients in North Carolina. CaroMont Health is among an elite group of 19 selected participants (out of 3,000 national hospitals/systems) engaged in demonstrating "Accountable Care Organizations" (hospitals focused on accountability for highest outcomes at the lowest cost for individualized patient care). CaroMont is engaged in innovative Chronic Disease Management pilot projects in partnership with local and regional employers, is implementing innovative prevention and wellness focused on individual and population health, and has a unique national partnership with GE and Sg2 to reduce costs and create integrated and coordinated systems of care. CaroMont Health also is among a select few hospitals to be granted a cardiology and cardiac surgery affiliation with Columbia University Medical Center in New York—a clinical partnership that provides patient access to world-class clinical guidance and research trials. CaroMont was recently upgraded by S&P to an AA bond-rating category—based on key rating factors that include: exceptional quality and clinical outcomes, excellence in governance and management structure, comprehensive information technology infrastructure, engaged excellence and integrated medical staff, fiscal accountability, operating performance, strong financial position and low cost structure.

CaroMont Health System encompasses Gaston Memorial Hospital with 435 beds; Courtland Terrace, a 96-bed skilled nursing community; Gaston Hospice, which includes the inpatient 12-bed Robin Johnson House; and CaroMont Medical Group, an extensive network of physician practices in five counties and two states with nearly 200 employed physicians. The CaroMont Heart Center provides a full range of life-saving cardiac care, including open heart surgery.  Additionally, the CaroMont Cancer Center provides advanced 3-D radiation treatment planning and chemotherapy. An expansive, surgical suite offers the latest advancements such as stereotactic technology, which utilizes computer simulation, microscopic surgery and x-ray images to achieve pinpoint accuracy. CaroMont also offers a level III neonatal intensive care unit for high risk infants and a pre-adolescent psychiatric center. CaroMont Health is proactively engaged in achieving its vision: To be a nationally-recognized leader and valued partner in promoting individual health and vibrant communities.

CaroMont Health employs 3,800 health care professionals, including a medical staff membership of 455. CaroMont Health is located at 2525 Court Drive in Gastonia, N.C., and can be reached at (704) 834-2000. Additional information is available at www.caromonthealth.org.

CaroMont Quality Awards

Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care

CIGNA highest quality rating for Patient Outcomes in Angioplasty, Cardiac

Catheterization, Colon Surgery, Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, Craniotomy-Adult,

Disc Surgery, Heart Attack, and Spinal Fusion

Top Performer status (3rd highest score among all participating U.S. hospitals, and highest score of any NC hospital) in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Premier Healthcare Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration project

Aetna - Recognized Institute of Quality Cardiac Care

Advanced Certification in Stroke Care from the Joint Commission

Advanced Certification in Diabetes Care from the Joint Commission

Hospital Value Index: Top 100 Best in Value Hospital

American Heart Association Heart Failure Gold Plus Performance Achievement Awards.

Certification in Hip and Knee Surgery from the Joint Commission

Commission on Cancer Outstanding Achievement Award from College of Surgeons

ACS MIDAS+ Platinum Quality Award Winner for Excellence in Clinical Performance

HealthGrades - 7 five-star designations in Back and Neck Surgery (spinal fusion), Heart Valve Replacement Surgery, Sepsis Care, Respiratory Failure Care, Pulmonary Care and Gastrointestinal Procedures & Surgeries. This includes an award for excellence in care of the Back and Neck Surgery Cleverley + Associates Five-Star Honor for high community value

Among only 6 percent of national hospitals to achieve Magnet recognition status for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Association

Rated as a top hospital in the Charlotte metropolitan area by U.S. News & World Report

2010 Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals award winner

2011 Becker's Hospital Review: 65 Great Community Hospitals

About Witt/Kieffer

Witt/Kieffer is the only executive search firm in the nation's top 10 that specializes in healthcare, higher education and not-for-profit organizations.  The firm identifies outstanding leadership solutions for organizations committed to improving quality of life.  Witt/Kieffer has more than 60 expert search consultants in 16 locations nationwide, and a best-in-class proprietary database of 330,000 industry leaders.  Clients include hospitals, health systems, academic medical centers, medical schools, physician groups, colleges, universities and community service and cultural organizations.  The firm conducts approximately 400 search assignments each year including those for presidents, CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CIOs, physician executives, medical school deans, clinical chairs and other senior executives.  To learn more go to www.wittkieffer.com.

SOURCE CaroMont Health

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