Who are the 10 highest-paid employees at the four major health care systems in Columbus?
Top executives and doctors employed by health systems in Columbus are paid well, but the highest-paid by far are at OhioHealth Corporation.
OhioHealth employees took the first seven spots among the Top 10 highest-paid health system executives and doctors in 2021, the most recent year for which comparison figures were available for review. The health system paid $12.8 million compensation that year to Michael Louge, its outgoing executive vice president and chief operating officer, which includes his executive retirement benefit payout along with his salary and other financial compensation.
Dr. Stephen Markovich, president and CEO of OhioHealth, was second on the Top 10 list at more than $3 million.
Three neurosurgeons and an orthopedic surgeon employed by OhioHealth also took the fourth through the seven spots, respectively, on the Top 10 highest-paid list.
By comparison, the average salary for an OhioHealth employee ranges from about $36,844 annually for a patient care assistant to $267,237 annually for a physician, according to GlassDoor.com.
Nationally, base salaries have been increasing for health care organization leaders, in part to attract new candidates, according to the Advisory Board, an organization that researches best practices in health care. The COVID-19 pandemic made the job of leading health care organizations more challenging, the board reported.
From 2021 to 2022, hospital executive pay increased up to 3.6%, according to the Advisory Board. For health system executives, the rise was even higher, with the highest at 6.5%.
In 2021, the median base salary for a health system president was $1.15 million.
Three of the four major Columbus health systems — OhioHealth Corporation, Mount Carmel Health System and Nationwide Children's Hospital — are nonprofits who are required to file federal 990 forms with the IRS annually listing their highest-paid employees. The Dispatch analyzed nonprofits' 2021 tax returns, which were accessed via ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer organization search tool.
Nationwide Children's Hospital employees claimed the last three spots in the Top 10 highest-paid list.
No Mount Carmel executives or medical specialists broke into the Top 10 list. Nor did any with the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, which is part of a public university whose payroll records are subject to the Ohio Public Records Act.
Below is the Top 10 list of nonprofit hospital system executives and medical specialists in Columbus who were paid the most in 2021:
1. $12.8 million: Michael Louge, OhioHealth
Louge served as executive vice president and COO at OhioHealth until November 2020, and his pay, as reported on the organization's 2021 990 form, was $12,851,858. The amount is so much more than others because Louge's total compensation includes his executive retirement plan benefit, according to OhioHealth.
2. $3 million: Dr. Stephen Markovich, OhioHealth
Markovich, president and CEO of OhioHealth, was paid $3,083,833 in 2021.
3. $2.9 million: Dr. Christian Bonasso, OhioHealth
Bonasso is a neurosurgeon who was paid $2,927,324.
4. $2.5 million: Dr. Brian Seaman, OhioHealth
Seaman is a neurosurgeon who was paid $2,509,004.
5. $2.2 million: Dr. Gregory Balturshot, OhioHealth
Balturshot is a neurosurgeon who was paid $2,217,091.
6. $2.1 million: Dr. Chris Karas, OhioHealth
Karas is a neurosurgeon who was paid $2,190,028.
7. $2 million: Dr. Matthew Bernhard, OhioHealth
Bernhard is an orthopedic surgeon who was paid $2,073,462.
8. $1.9 million: Dr. Mark Galantowicz, Nationwide Children's Hospital
Galantowicz is the chief of cardiothoracic surgery and a codirector of Nationwide's heart center. He made $1,931,198.
9. $1.5 million: Richard Miller, Nationwide Children's
Miller, the COO, was paid $1,588,102.
10. $1.5 million: Timothy Robinson, Nationwide Children's
Robinson is the CEO and was paid $1,534,239.
dking@dispatch.com
@DanaeKing
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Which Columbus health system leaders and doctors make the most money?
