Hospital system names new CEO

The Cleveland Clinic announced Sept. 1 that it has selected Dr. Tomislav “Tom” Mihaljevic as the hospital system’s next CEO and president.

Mihaljevic will start the new role effective Jan. 1.

He succeeds Toby Cosgrove, who announced in May he was stepping down from the role after 13 years.

Mihaljevic, 53, joined Cleveland Clinic in 2004 as a cardiothoracic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive and robotically assisted cardiac surgeries, according to a news release.

Since 2015, he has served as CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, overseeing the hospital’s strategy and operations as the first US multispecialty hospital to be replicated outside of North America, including directly managing the hospital’s Patient Experience and Strategy & Business Development programs.

“Dr. Mihaljevic brings a depth of experience, first as an innovative, worldclass surgeon and more recently as a hospital executive focused on healthcare quality and safety, patient experience and business strategy,” said Robert E. Rich Jr., chair of Cleveland Clinic’s Board of Directors. “By nearly every measure — quality, accessibility, finances, innovation, reputation — Cleveland Clinic has made unprecedented strides since Dr. Cosgrove became CEO and president in 2004. Following in his footsteps would be challenging for anybody, but Dr. Mihaljevic has the background, skills and vision to move Cleveland Clinic forward to even greater heights.”

According to the release, Cleveland Clinic’s Board of Governors and Board of Directors unanimously selected Mihaljevic based on the unanimous recommendation of a nomination committee chaired by Rich that conducted an extensive review of potential successors.

Cosgrove and Mihaljevic will work on a transition process together through the end of the year. As of Jan. 1, Mihaljevic will assume the full duties of president and CEO, while Cosgrove will move to an advisory role to be determined by the board and Mihaljevic.

Mihaljevic is a native of Croatia and a naturalized U.S. citizen, according to the Cleveland Clinic’s news release. He earned his medical degree from the University of Zagreb, before moving to the United States in 1995 to join Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

When he moved to Cleveland Clinic in 2004 he helped to build it into the world’s largest robotic practice, according to the release.

In 2005, he received a patent for a novel cardioscopy system for minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

He earned the Cleveland Clinic Innovation Award in 2006 and 2007.

Mihaljevic