A new leader is preparing to become Chief Medical Officer at Passavant Area Hospital, and his soon-to-be predecessor is sharing some thoughts on the transition to new leadership.
It was announced recently that Doctor Marshall Hale would step down as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at the end of March, and the physician taking over the position is Doctor Scott Boston.
Dr. Hale shares his history of growth as a medical practitioner in the Jacksonville area.
“It’s been a wonderful experience. I was fortunate to join the Memorial Health System in 1995 and finish serving my patients through the larger capacities that the health system could offer. Then Passavant, being in need of a chief medical officer, reached out when I made the decision to retire from medical practice in 2017. They offered me the opportunity to continue serving in a larger capacity, sharing my experiences with the medical staff to continue to improve the health of the patients and communities that we serve. It’s been wonderful living here. We moved here in 1983 and put all four of our kids through the public school system. It has truly been outstanding.”
Dr. Hale details his relationship with Dr. Boston, and says the incoming chief medical officer was recently able to achieve an experience that may prove helpful in him being chief.
“I’ve known Dr. Boston about 10 years. He was medical director of the Emergency Department and did an excellent job in that capacity, bringing high-quality physicians to work in the Passavant ED. Then, he took his family on a sabbatical for a year or two and practiced medicine in a small, rural hospital in Australia. I think the experience really sharpened his skills in terms of being able to provide care to under-served people and communities, and in an area where there is not a lot of specialty care.”
Dr. Hale says he has seen the necessary leadership qualities for a CMO in Dr. Boston.
“He’s come back and been a full-time emergency room physician both at Passavant and at Memorial. He has served on a variety of committees at the hospital. In the last 18 months, I’ve seen his performance and leadership well and accurately displayed. I spoke with Dr. Boston several times, discussing the possibility of him being the CMO. I think he has the right attitude, and he certainly possesses the right skills, to move Passavant Hospital forward and the health system forward as we continue to provide care for those here in the communities that we serve.”
Dr. Hale’s official last day as Passavant’s Chief Medical Officer will be March 31st.