Dr. Ora Pescovitz today told U-M Health System employees she is not pursuing reappointment as executive vice president for medical affairs after she completes her term June 1.
She said serving as EVPMA and CEO of the health system for the past five years has been “an enormous privilege.”
“I have relished my time here and will forever be grateful for the growth, experiences and relationships made possible by this opportunity,” she said in an email message to employees. “UMHS is a community of extraordinary people who do extraordinary work. I have been honored to lead this organization.”
In a separate email to the university community today, President Mary Sue Coleman praised Pescovitz for her commitment to Michigan and said she would recommend an interim leader for the health system during Thursday’s Board of Regents meeting on the Ann Arbor campus.
“I want to express my deep appreciation to Dr. Pescovitz for her commitment to Michigan and for ensuring that the health system remains sound and strong, which is an enormous accomplishment given our complex environment and the changing national health care landscape.
“During her tenure, UMHS created and enacted a strategic plan that has resulted in expanded reach and relationships throughout the state, all the while recording the highest-ever scores in patient satisfaction,” Coleman said.
Coleman said she would recommend the appointment of Dr. Michael M.E. Johns as interim executive vice president for medical affairs, starting June 2. A native of Detroit, Johns is a graduate of the Medical School, and served his internship and residency at University Hospital.
Most recently he served five years as chancellor of Emory University, where he also led the Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center for 11 years. Earlier in his career he served as dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and vice president of the medical faculty at Johns Hopkins University.
Details about the search for a permanent EVPMA will be forthcoming.
