CoxHealth promotes three leaders to new positions

As CoxHealth continues its focus on strategic growth for the future, three of its leaders are being promoted to new roles within the organization.

Amanda Hedgpeth, President of Springfield Hospitals, is being promoted to Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President.

Hedgpeth has nearly 17 years of service at CoxHealth, including leadership roles in budgeting, hospital operations, innovation, process improvement, and urgent cares. Most recently, she held the role of President of Springfield Hospitals, while also serving the chief architect for CoxHealth’s strategic planning process.

“I couldn’t be more excited to see Amanda step into this important position,” says CoxHealth President and CEO Max Buetow. “Her operational and financial expertise are a great complement to the passion she has for serving our patients and colleagues.”

Reporting to the CEO, Amanda will oversee systemwide hospital operations, as well as continue to lead our strategic planning efforts.

Beth Polivka, Vice President and System Chief Nursing Officer, is being promoted to Senior Vice President and System Chief Nursing Officer. This expanded role will report to the COO and will carry the responsibilities of oversight of nursing practices and functions across the organization.

Polivka began her career at CoxHealth 20 years ago as a frontline nurse, and she has steadily advanced through increasing levels of leadership.

Dr. Shawn Usery, M.D., M.B.A., Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, is being promoted to Senior Vice President and System Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Usery will report to the COO and will continue to lead medical staff activities, quality, safety, and accreditation for the system.

Dr. Usery joined CoxHealth in 2008 as a resident in our Cox Family Medicine residency. After graduating residency, he began his career as a hospitalist at Cox South in 2011. Since then, he has held multiple clinical and leadership positions across our system.

With these transitions, CoxHealth will be hiring a new President of Springfield Hospitals and a new Vice President of Nursing, Springfield Hospitals.

All of the promotions are effective Jan. 1, 2023.

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