United Hospital Center names new CEO

BRIDGEPORT, W. Va. — In the search for a new Chief Executive Officer, United Hospital Center considers itself fortunate to find a candidate with 20 years of experience within its own facility.

Michael Tillman

Michael Tillman has been appointed the new CEO by the West Virginia United Hospital System Board and UHC Board, effective April 4.

“I’m tremendously proud to be able to try to lead this hospital and the position of trust the board has placed me in,” Tillman said.

Tillman first began working for the hospital in 1993, serving in roles such as vice president, director of nursing, associate director of nursing, director of medical-surgical nursing, manager of oncology, chief operating officer and vice president of patient care services and as a consultant at several other facilities.

“There is no better person to lead UHC at this time than Mike Tillman,” Christopher C. Colenda, MD, MPH, president and CEO of WVUHS said. “Mike is a proven leader with vision and focus on quality and patient outcomes. He brings complimentary skills and experience to our WVUHS Hospital Executive Teams, and will lead UHC into the future by being focused on people and results. I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with and learn from Mike.”

A major portion of the work Tillman will be doing involves guiding the hospital through the daily challenges facing hospitals across the nation.

“There’s declining reimbursement and increased expectations from the consumers and the insurers,” Tillman said “Balancing all that and maintaining a hospital that’s strong and maintains great patient care is a daily challenge for us all.”

Part of providing better care will include expanding the cancer patient navigator program, which guides those diagnosed with cancer from diagnosis to survivorship. It began with one navigator for breast cancer patients, but will soon be expanded to three covering many different types of cancers.

“We’re going to expand it to other types of cancers because it works really well with breast cancer,” Tillman said. “I think the patients deserve [the program] for other types of cancers.”

Tillman will take over Bruce Carter, who announced he would step down in September after 28 years with the hospital.

“I am honored that Mike Tillman has been selected as my successor,” Carter said.  “I consider it a rare privilege to have someone as capable as Mike to continue the mission at UHC. I have complete faith that he will lead this organization to an even higher level.”

As Tillman takes over the reigns, he acknowledges the work Carter has done to make the facility what it is.

“This hospital is an exceptionally strong community hospital if you look at the facilities, if you look at the medical staff, you look at the quality of care we provide here,” he said. “A great deal of credit for that goes to the CEO who’s retiring, Bruce Carter. I would echo a lot of people simply who said thanks.”

Tillman received his bachelors of science in nursing from Towson State University, Master of Science from University of Maryland and MBA from the University of Baltimore.

Tillman is a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives and he served as an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing.  Locally, he has served on the board of directors for the United Way of Harrison County and the American Red Cross of Harrison County.

Tillman resides in his Lost Creek with his wife Mary.





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