Ernie Bovio is leaving his job as High Point Regional’s CEO to head operations at UNC Rex Healthcare.
Starting Sept. 2, the 50-year-old Bovio will serve as the Raleigh-based health system's new chief operating officer.
Back in October, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center said that it had signed a letter of intent to acquire High Point Regional Hospital from UNC Health Care, and earlier this year, a leadership transition plan was announced, naming Dr. James Hoekstra as Bovio’s successor.
In an interview with Triangle Business Journal, Bovio talked about stepping into the new role at UNC Rex. Bovio's responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Following the planned leadership transition, how did the role at UNC Rex present itself?
We announced that we were selling High Point Regional back in October. My intent was to stay with UNC Health Care, but we had almost 10 months before the transaction would be complete. It wasn’t until there was a vacancy that we started talking about that as potentially my next role with UNC Health Care. That was back in May. (Sue Sandberg stepped down in April after nearly two years in the COO role in order to spend more time with her family, a spokesman for UNC Rex noted.)
What do you expect areas of focus will be in the new role?
I’m going to stay in my role with High Point Regional until the acquisition close date Aug. 31. I’m super excited about joining that team (at UNC Rex). I’m really looking forward to being part of the Rex family. UNC Rex has an established tradition of clinical excellence, safety, innovation and continued growth. I will help lead the organization’s commitment to improving health and healing in that community.
And you’ll be helping to lead some of UNC Rex’s joint venture relationships – what do those involve?
They have a number of relationships and partnerships with different physician groups and organizations in the area, all of which have been very successful. I will be continuing to support those relationships with the radiology group and the orthopedic group, the hospital, the physicians, relationships key to the success of any hospital or health care organization. I’ll have the responsibility to continue to foster those relationships and joint ventures.
Are there plans for growth in operations?
There’s a tremendous amount of capital investment that will be made over the coming years to continue to meet the needs and create more access for the community. Growth initiatives will include building the new hospital in Holly Springs and creating more access into the UNC Health Care system, a focus for me and the team.