Mary Washington Healthcare President and CEO Dr. Mike McDermott has resigned to take the same position at Montage Health in Monterey, Calif.
Sources tell the Free Press that McDermott’s resignation was announced internally on Monday morning. Dr. Christopher Newman, MWHC’s Chief Medical Officer and Chief Operating Officer, will replace McDermott as CEO.
According to a press release, McDermott will remain in his role into the spring “to ensure a smooth transition.”
McDermott has served as president and CEO of the health care nonprofit since January 2015, following a long career as a diagnostic and interventional radiologist at a practice in Fredericksburg. According to MWHC’s 2023 form 990 tax filing, he received more than $1.9 million in total compensation the previous year.
In recent years, he has overseen considerable expansion of the hospital system, including the addition of a graduate medical education program (GME), as well as the consolidation of several medical practices under the MWHC umbrella. The release noted that MWHC has seen its bond rating upgraded three times under McDermott’s leadership.
“I am extremely proud of everything Mary Washington Healthcare has achieved during my time as CEO and I am confident that under Dr. Newman’s leadership, the system will continue to grow and advance,” McDermott said in the press release. “It’s been an honor and a privilege to lead MWHC for the past 10 years, and I’m excited to watch its progress continue under Chris’ leadership.”
During McDermott’s tenure, MWHC has also come under public scrutiny for its deteriorating relationship with the Moss Free Clinic as well as expansion plans that called for the demolition of the Kids’ Station daycare center to construct a medical clinic and conference center.
Mary Washington Hospital’s “D” grade this spring from the watchdog group Leapfrog was referenced by Fredericksburg officials during public discussions of campus expansion plans. The hospital earned a “C” grade this fall.
Newman has been with MWHC since 2019 and served previously as CMO for Penn State Health’s St. Joseph Regional Health Network.
“I’m deeply honored to be selected for the role of CEO and I’m committed to continuing our mission of improving the health of the people in our communities,” he said in the press release. “As our system continues to grow rapidly, I’m excited to build on our momentum from the past several years and to keep working to make Mary Washington the best health system for our providers, team members, patients and community members.”
Mary Washington Healthcare is a major donor to the Free Press. Donors do not influence newsroom operations.
