In Midst of Merger, OHSU Appoints Interim President
With a major merger in progress, Portland-based Oregon Health & Science University’s board of directors on Monday approved a resolution to appoint Steve Stadum, J.D., interim president of the academic health center, effective Tuesday.
Stadum is a former OHSU leader with 20-plus years’ experience leading organizations at the intersection of healthcare, education, research and business.
OHSU and Legacy Health are working to unite as one health system called OHSU Health in a merger deal that was announced in August 2023. The combined system will have 12 hospitals, 100-plus locations and about 30,000 employees and more than 3 million patient visits a year.
OHSU is part of the State of Oregon, established in Oregon law as a public corporation. Legacy is a local, nonprofit health system that had been struggled financially, according to news reports.
After joining OHSU in 1999, Stadum served in several leadership roles, including general counsel, chief administration officer and corporate secretary, executive vice president and, finally, chief operating officer for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. In 2016, Stadum moved to Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, where he held the positions of executive vice president and chief operating officer, chief integration officer and, lastly, special adviser to the director, until his retirement in September 2024.
Stadum is replacing President Danny Jacobs, M.D., who recently announced he has decided to step down. As Oregon Public Media reported, “during his tenure, Jacobs led OHSU through a series of major disruptions: the COVID-19 pandemic, a 2021 investigation into the university health system’s culture that found it was permissive of discrimination and harassment, and, more recently, rising labor costs and financial headwinds. OHSU laid off more than 400 employees over the summer.”
Gov. Tina Kotek’s Executive Appointments team will help OHSU put together the search committee that will lead the recruitment process for a permanent president.
“OHSU is a critical institution to our state, as a major healthcare provider, employer, and leader in scientific and academic innovation,” Kotek said, in a statement. “A strong, collaborative, leader is imperative to OHSU’s success, and I commend the Board for embarking on a national recruitment for the next long-term president. I am grateful to Dr. Jacobs for his years of service and would like to thank Mr. Stadum for agreeing to serve while the search is underway.”
“The process for selecting OHSU’s permanent president will be appropriately vigorous, guided by our values and include broad input,” said Board President Chad Paulson, J.D., in a statement.
In a statement, Stadum said he recognizes the gravity of this moment for OHSU. “The stress our community is feeling amid uncertainty and significant change within our university is compounded by the stress and anxiety that is widely felt by many during election season and culminating today on Election Day.” He noted in a separate commentary, that “regardless of the outcome, OHSU stands resolute in its values, and will not waver from our duty and responsibility in supporting the health and well-being of people in Oregon and beyond.”
