Covert takes on CEO, VP roles at CHI

Who: Michael Covert, 65

Appointed to:

CEO of CHI St. Luke’s Health, Houston, and senior VP at Catholic Health Initiatives, Englewood, Colo., effective late August. Six-hospital CHI St. Luke’s Health was previously known as St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System. CHI acquired St. Luke’s last year.

Previous positions:

Now serves as president and CEO of Palomar Health, a three-hospital system based in Escondido, Calif., a position he’s held since 2003. He has more than 40 years of healthcare management experience, including a stint as president and CEO of Sarasota (Fla.) Memorial Health Care System.

On the decision to move:

“With all the various constituency groups I’d be able to work with, I thought I could make a difference at St. Luke’s Health for the future. It’s an opportunity to work with a very strong health system that has served its community for years and is recognized nationally, and to work with the Baylor College of Medicine on a joint venture from an academic side and the activities of the Texas Heart Institute.”

On his leadership style:

“I would describe it how my staff would describe it: focused, communicative, accountable. I think it’s important for us to understand what we do every day and how it relates to our strategic missions.”