MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- The second-largest employer in Middletown started 2017 with new leadership.
As Atrium Medical Center marks 100 years, Carol Turner, its president and CEO is stepping down after six years in the role and more than 36 years with the Middletown hospital once known as Middletown Regional Hospital.
Replacing her is Mike Uhl, who has served as part of the Premier Health facility’s executive leadership team since early last year as chief operating officer.
Uhl, who worked part-time as a paramedic and firefighter while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing at University of Cincinnati, graduated in March 1998 and launched his nursing career directly thereafter.
“One of the things that I think is really cool about this transition is that Carol Turner … was the first individual who really had a one-on-one conversation with me early in my nursing career to really consider management and what that could mean in terms of my career,” Uhl told this media outlet. “The irony in all of this is I go back to the day where she … signed off on the opportunity to allow me to run the emergency room at Middletown Regional Hospital. Fast-forward from that point until now, never in a million years then would I have imagined I’d be following her in the presidency here in the hospital.
“I view that as quite an honor and privilege to be able to succeed becauase I have given her a lot of credit over the years in terms of having that conversation with me to consider health care management as an option.”
Atrium Medical Center, along with Miami Valley Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital and Upper Valley Medical Center, is a member of Premier Health Partners — the Dayton-area’s largest health care network.
With more than 1,500 people in full-time, part-time and on-call positions, the full-service hospital and Level III Trauma Center is Middletown’s second largest employer and is among the largest employers in Warren and Butler counties.
Immediately prior to becoming Atrium’s COO, Uhl was systems vice president of operations innovation for Atrium Medical’s parent Premier Health. In that role, which he held from 2014 to the beginning of 2016, he helped the nonprofit health system achieve millions in savings while at the same time improve quality and performance scores. In addition to being chief operating officer for Atrium, he still has several other areas of responsibilities for the whole Premier Health system.
Uhl’s past experience also includes nearly 10 years spent at Deloitte Consulting LLP advising health care clients on operational and financial process improvements. In the past, he also served in various roles such as clinical educator, emergency department nurse manager and operations manager.
Turner served as Atrium Medical Center from January 2011 to December 2016 and amassed more than 36 years of service to Premier Health/Atrium Medical Center and the former Middletown Regional Hospital and 43 years in the health care industry.
She started her health care career as a medical technologist, also known as clinical laboratory technologist, joining the Premier Health system in 1980 as the administrative director of the clinical laboratory for the former Middletown Regional Hospital.
In 2014, Ohio Diversity Council named Turner one of the most powerful and influential women in Ohio. She was a key part of the team that developed the construction of Atrium and brought together the partners on the hospital’s campus.
Uhl said he’s looking to emulate Turner in several ways.
“She always wanted to make sure we had a caring environment from all aspects, not only from taking care of the patients that come utilize our services, but also from the workplace perspective and that people felt a sense of belonging in the organization, that they felt ownership in how the organization was going to move forward, that they felt part of a team,” he said. “She was always open to feedback and input and really wanted to hear the voice of the employees and I am going to carry those traits on as well.
The leadership change comes as Atrium Medical Center celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. While the celebrations will reflect on the hospital’s history in the community, Atrium is also offering new services.
In December, Atrium started its new Natural Beginnings Birth Center, the first comprehensive natural birth center in the greater Cincinnati area to be located within an acute care hospital. In spring 2017, renovations will be completed to add a geriatric unit to offer senior-friendly emergency care within the existing emergency department.
