Tim Attebery named interim president of Holston Valley Medical Center, takes over Dec. 1
KINGSPORT – Tim Attebery, who has provided stellar administrative leadership for the nationally recognized Wellmont CVA Heart Institute, has been named interim president of Holston Valley Medical Center.
Attebery is replacing Virginia Frank, who is retiring after serving as the hospital’s president the last three years, effective Dec. 1. A committee has been formed to search for a permanent replacement to oversee Wellmont Health System’s largest hospital.
Since 2007, Attebery has served as administrative leader of the heart institute and the former Cardiovascular Associates practice and is currently Wellmont’s vice president of cardiovascular services.
“Tim brings a breadth of experience to the president’s role at Holston Valley,” said Denny DeNarvaez, Wellmont’s president and CEO. “He is an accomplished healthcare executive and an effective leader. Plus, he already has strong relationships with the leadership team and staff at Holston Valley and is respected by the board of directors and physicians.
“This will give us a great opportunity to keep momentum strong as we manage through all the changes of healthcare reform.”
During the interim period, oversight of the heart institute and Wellmont’s cardiovascular program will be handled by the remaining administrative, management and clinical leadership. That includes Dr. Jerry Blackwell, the heart institute’s president, and Dr. Herb Ladley, who will serve as vice president of cardiovascular services.
Attebery oversees strategic development and the operational and financial performance of Wellmont’s innovative and frequently honored cardiovascular program, including its ambulatory, outpatient and hospital-based operations. His 27-year healthcare career has included a variety of physician practice and hospital leadership roles in administration and consulting in Indiana, Missouri, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Now, Attebery will use his impressive skill set to lead Kingsport’s flagship hospital. He said it will be important to work with Holston Valley’s board of directors, medical staff, management, co-workers and community leaders to maintain the outstanding reputation and long-standing tradition of superior quality, compassionate care and patient service at the hospital.
“We have the best physicians and nurses in the region working at Holston Valley,” Attebery said. “The quality and scope of healthcare services available at this hospital are on par with most academic medical centers in the United States. This is born out in the hospital’s recognition and ranking as a top hospital both in Tennessee and nationally.”
Recently, U.S. News & World Report named Holston Valley one of the top three hospitals in Tennessee and classified the hospital as high performing in 11 services, including cardiology and cancer.
CareChex, a division of Comparion that evaluates hospitals on multiple components of quality, has also selected Holston Valley one of the top 100 hospitals in the country for various elements of cardiovascular care. The hospital was also named among the top 10 percent in the nation in these areas as well as neurological care.
“I plan to collaborate very closely with the medical staff leadership to strengthen existing services and develop additional services to meet the needs of our patients and their physicians,” Attebery said. “The medical staff at the hospital is truly world-class.
“We want to build on Holston Valley’s reputation as a nationally recognized leader in treating complex conditions and providing advanced therapies. We also have a great opportunity to work closely with co-workers at the front lines of care to make sure that Holston Valley continues to be a great place to work.”
Charlie Floyd, chairman of the Holston Valley board, said Attebery is well qualified to lead the hospital.
“Tim’s experience with the day-to-day operations of the hospital, along with his knowledge and appreciation for this community, will enable him to do a great job helping the hospital navigate through the transformational changes the healthcare industry is experiencing right now,” Floyd said.
“We are very pleased to have found an internal candidate who is well prepared to lead clinically and work hand in hand with our city, county, chamber, and business community to strengthen one of our greatest community assets.”
Download photo of Tim Attebery.
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