Two of Mississippi's largest hospitals announce their CEOs will soon step down

The leaders of two of the largest healthcare systems in Mississippi announced they would step down in recent days, and though the two may soon be under the same ownership, spokespeople said their departures were unrelated.

Scott Kashman is departing Jackson-based St. Dominic Memorial Hospital, while Tiffany Murdock is leaving Singing River Health System, which operates multiple hospitals on the Gulf Coast.

St. Dominic's has been owned by Louisiana-based Catholic nonprofit Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System since 2019. The same nonprofit announced in March that it would be purchasing Singing River, though that deal has not yet closed.

"Scott Kashman has accepted a new opportunity with a health system closer to family. His official last day with St. Dominic’s will be July 7," St. Dominic marketing director Meredith Bailess said in an email. "We are appreciative of Scott’s commitment to the Jackson community and his leadership of our team through a difficult financial environment and the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. We pray all the best for Scott and wish him well in his new endeavors."

Kristin Wolkart, Our Lady Health System chief nursing officer, will serve as interim market president beginning June 20. Her first 17 days will coincide with Kashman's final days. Before her time as health system CNO, Wolkart served as the market president for St. Francis Health and has served with the organization for 28 years.

Kashman has been CEO of St. Dominic's for less than two years. The St. Dominic's announcements come on the heels of June 5 news that, because of deteriorating financial issues, the healthcare system was laying off 157 people, which represents a 5.5% reduction of its total workforce.

St. Dominic's also announced it was closing its Behavioral Health Services on June 6.

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Answering questions about whether the ongoing sale or the resignation of Kashman had any impact on Murdock's departure, Singing River spokesperson Ashley Butsch said "this news is no way related to either." On Thursday, Ochsner Health of New Orleans announced it was hiring Murdock to be its next Chief Nursing Officer, effective later this summer.

Murdock had worked at Singing River for eight years, according to a news release.

"The Board of Trustees would like to thank Tiffany for her dedication, visionary leadership, and unparalleled commitment to the organization," Singing River Board President Erich Nichols said in the release. "Under her guidance, we have witnessed remarkable achievements and tremendous growth, setting new standards of excellence within our industry. Her approachability, humility, and genuine care for the team made her not just a CEO but a mentor and friend to many within the organization. We wish Tiffany the very best in her future endeavors.”

Murdock will remain for a period of time to assist with the transition to interim-CEO Laurin St. Pe. St. Pe is the current COO, a role she will continue in as she takes on the interim-CEO title. St. Pe has worked at Singing River since 1999, according to the release.

St. Dominic and Singing River's Pascagoula Hospital are two of the top 10 largest hospitals in the state by number of staffed beds, according to the May 2023 American Hospital Directory. St. Dominic came in third with 552 beds, while the Pascagoula Hospital came in seventh with 398 beds. Singing River's Gulfport Hospital came in 27th with 130 beds. Singing River also operates a hospital in Ocean Springs, though that location lists no beds in the directory.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: St. Dominic hospital and Singing River hospital bosses depart