After three years at Powell Valley Healthcare, Chief Executive Officer Bill Patten has decided it’s time to move on.

Patten submitted his resignation, and it was “accepted with regret” Monday during an executive session of the Powell Valley Healthcare board, according to a PVHC release issued Wednesday morning. The Powell Tribune was not advised of the meeting beforehand, reportedly due to an oversight.

“Mr. Patten also provided notification of his resignation to Neil Todhunter, President of HealthTech Management Services,” according to the release. Patten is employed by HealthTech under a contract with the firm to provide management services at Powell Valley Healthcare.

“We’re sad to see Bill go,” said Dr. Valerie Lengfelder, PVHC board president. “He brought great leadership to our organization, and he brought great programs, such as the Studer Principles. Unfortunately, this move was best for his family.”

Todhunter said he hates to see Patten leave Powell Valley Healthcare.

“Bill’s been a good CEO there ... but I know he wants to get into a larger organization, and I understand,” he said.

Patten has accepted the CEO position at Holy Cross Hospital in Taos, N.M. His last day at Powell Valley Healthcare will be April 9. Hospital leaders and employees were informed about Patten’s resignation on Wednesday.

The PVHC board will work with Todhunter to appoint an interim CEO to lead the organization until Patten’s permanent replacement is found. The interim CEO will work with Patten to assure a smooth leadership transition, the release stated.

On Wednesday, Patten declined to specify the reasons for his departure, but he said it was his decision.

He said he believes this is the right thing to do, both personally and professionally.

“The long and short of it, there were a lot of different considerations, but at the end of the day, ... I think there are a lot of changes needed for me, personally, and I hope the organization is able to benefit as well,” he said.

Patten said Holy Cross Hospital is a larger facility, with $100 million in annual gross revenue compared to Powell Valley Healthcare’s $68 million, but it is less diverse. 

“It’s a completely different environment than what Powell Valley has,” he said.

Patten said he plans to complete a few projects and tie up a few loose ends before he leaves, and to position the interim CEO so that “any projects that aren’t completed can be handed off without fumbling the ball.”

He said he will recommend that some projects, such as the PVHC master facility plan, be put on hold until a new permanent chief executive officer is on board.

Todhunter said Wednesday he had identified three, and possibly four, candidates for interim CEO, whom he will present for the PVHC board’s consideration.

“The interim CEO probably will be in place prior to Bill’s departure, so we can have a good transition between Bill and the interim ... and I’ll be there as well during that transition period,” Todhunter said. 

Patten said the plan is for the interim CEO to begin on April 7, so he and the interim can have three days together before Patten leaves.

Todhunter said hiring a permanent hospital CEO generally takes a minimum of five months and can take as long as eight or nine. The interim will lead the organization during that time.

He said turnover among hospital CEOs now is the highest he’s seen, at 23-24 percent. The time CEOs serve at their hospitals varies widely, he said, but he estimated the average time would be between three and seven years.

When searching for his replacement, Lengfelder said, “Our goal is to find a CEO who will continue to bring strong leadership and will take us forward in a positive direction.”