Lakewood Ranch Medical Center hires new CEO

Having lived in Utah, Arizona and Texas, Jason Madsen said he doesn't mind the heat.

That might be a good thing since he will be experiencing a few different kinds of heat when he arrives in Lakewood Ranch on Wednesday for his first day as the chief executive officer of the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.

First, of course, will be Florida's brand of sweltering humidity to go along with 90s temperatures. An avid golfer, Madsen said he doesn't mind being on the fairways at a time when most golfers would wilt.

The other brand comes in the form of the hot-seat, where Madsen will be under the gun to manage a 180-bed facility with a new $120 million, five-story tower that opened in March. The expansion was added to serve Lakewood Ranch's rapidly growing community. It even has a shell space in the tower where another 60 patient beds can be added in the future.

He is taking over for Rob Anderson, who resigned after lasting just a year. Like Madsen, Anderson had been plucked out of Texas (El Paso) by Universal Health Services to come to Lakewood Ranch. 

"From a professional standpoint, this is a good opportunity to come into an organization that has a strong foundation and reputation for quality of service," said Madsen on Friday while driving east through Texas from his home in Texoma, which is north of Fort Worth. "I have been with Universal Health Services for a decade and I've always looked at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center as a hospital that achieves the high marks.

"This is one of the things you embrace in your career."

Madsen has been serving as Interim CEO and Chief Operating Officer of Texoma Medical Center, a 414-bed hospital. A UHS release said "He helped lead significant improvements in quality, patient experience, physician alignment, operational performance, and strategic growth initiatives," at Texoma.

"From a personal aspect, I am coming to a great community to bring my wife (MaChel) and my two step-children (15-year-old Garrett and 18-year-old Hannah). It aligns with what we enjoy doing. We lived in Arizona and we don't mind the heat, so this is right up our alley. We want to establish roots here, and we've all heard about this area. We know this is a beautiful community."

Madsen, 47, said the new tower was a huge positive in evaluating the job offer.

"It is one of the greatest things from an appeal standpoint," he said. "I value the ability to grow. When I see the overall capital investment made (by UHS), it tells me there is a significant investment in this facility. There is a pathway of support that I can build upon.

"And UHS does allow autonomy. It allows health care to be managed at a local level, to understand the needs of a community."

He already has met with Interim CEO Philip Reber, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center's chief operating officer, and other executives to discuss those community needs. He has been very impressed with that group.

He said part of understanding community needs will be joining local organizations that will enhance his community engagement.

"It's all about listening, communicating, and hearing," he said. 

Madsen will take a similar philosophy to working with his staff.

"My goal is to come in and build relationships, and trust," he said. "I will meet with the stakeholders, medical staff, doctors, and focus on making sure they are well taken care of. I want them to be excited to come to work."

Healthcare is a second career for Madsen, who for 10 years did the financials for a family-run, construction business in St. George, Utah.

"I became an EMT as a hobby," he said. "But I found extra fulfillment there, and lo and behold, I found a whole career."

He started volunteering at Intermountain Health Care in St. George to see how hospitals were run. He went back to school and eventually landed with UHS.

A UHS release said, "Jason brings a collaborative, transparent, and people-centered leadership approach, with a focus on empowering teams, fostering trust, and working together to achieve a shared vision for excellence. As CEO, he looks forward to partnering with physicians, employees, volunteers, and community leaders to build on Lakewood Ranch Medical Center’s strong foundation and advance its mission of delivering high-quality, compassionate care to the communities it serves."