The McDonough District Hospital Board of Directors has signed off on the contract for Interim President and CEO Wanda Foster.
The 30-day agreement will be renewed monthly as needed. Foster will be paid $33,000 per month.
Board Chairperson Dan O’Neill feels hiring Foster to lead MDH through the next few months is what’s best for the hospital.
“She has been here for a long time. Her heart is in the right place and her mind is in the right place. She’s already presented us with a very quality list of items that she’s going to start with that needs attention right off the get-go,” O’Neill said.
Foster started as a nurse’s aide at MDH when she was a college student in the late 1970s. She worked her way up through the ranks, and was chief nursing officer when she retired a couple years ago.
She decided to come out of retirement to accept the interim position because she believes strongly in what the hospital does.
“I saw it as an opportunity if I could add my expertise and some collaboration and guidance during this transition. I appreciate being able to help in the interim role,” Foster said.
Foster said the hospital’s revenue cycle is a top concern for her, but she wants to meet with the senior leadership team to come up with a collaborative list of priorities.
“We want to ensure we have a strong plan going forward, that we can dedicate the resources to be successful,” she said.
Foster said she is not interested in leading the hospital beyond the interim role, which she will begin on Saturday, July 18.
“Retirement is wonderful,” she said.
Current President and CEO Bill Murdock’s final day is scheduled for Friday, July 17. Foster believes the hospital has strong leadership and said she learned a lot from Murdock.
“We have a wonderful organization and staff that are very dedicated to quality and exceptional patient care,” Foster said. “Our focus on quality and excellence in healthcare will always be our true north.”
The board this week also agreed to hire Tennessee-based Buffkin/Baker to conduct the search for the hospital’s next president.
Contract details are still being finalized.
Search committee members said they felt comfortable with Buffkin/Baker and said the firm has worked successfully with similar-size hospitals.
Committee members also said all the references they spoke with said they would hire the firm again.
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