WEYMOUTH — South Shore Health System has suspended two top executives as of Monday, pending a formal review of undisclosed operational and administrative issues, according to a press release issued Tuesday morning by the organization.
Dr. Gene Green, president and CEO of South Shore Health, and Wayne Stockbridge, the organization’s chief human resource officer, were placed on administrative leave following a meeting of the organization’s board of directors. Rose Di Pietro, a recently retired South Shore Health executive, will act as interim CEO.
“We believe that the necessary steps taken today will allow for a prompt, thorough, and independent review of the issues while enabling the organization to continue executing on its mission to provide high-quality care to and within the South Shore community,” indicated board chairman Ken Kirkland.
The suspension comes just six days after Green took over the role after Pamela Whelton, South Shore Health’s first female president, resigned after serving only four months. The organization offered no reason for Whelton’s resignation. Green had previously as the system’s president and CEO from 2015 until Whelton’s acceptance in April.
News of both Whelton’s resignation and the suspensions come at a time in which South Shore Health has planned expansions into local communities, including the acquisition of six additional urgent care facilities and partnerships with Brigham Health/Partners HealthCare for an additional ambulatory care center; both of which may have led to a recent review by Weymouth mayor Robert Hedlund of the organization’s payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement to the city. Under the 22 year old agreement, South Shore Health’s annual property tax payment is based on a formula that applies only to the estimated cost of new expansion projects and the sale price of new properties purchased.
Kirkand stated the organization was in the preliminary stages of reviewing the unspecified issues and expected the process to last over several weeks.
Photo by Drew Beamer on Unsplash
