CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System announced Friday that CEO Isaac Palmer will be departing to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities in his hometown of Chicago.
“We are sad to see Isaac go, but remain thankful for his many contributions to our health system and the Shreveport community,” said Chris Karam, senior vice president of Group Operations, CHRISTUS Health. “His list of accomplishments is long, but it is his clear vision and unwavering commitment to our mission that will be especially missed.”
Palmer joined CHRISTUS in Louisiana in 2014, and has served as Executive in Residence and Chief Operating Officer of CHRISTUS Health Shreveport-Bossier. In 2015, he was named CEO for the Shreveport-Bossier system. During his tenure, he has overseen the transformation of CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center, including a $43 million, 24-month expansion project called Highland 100, which was recently announced. His focused work to support Associates and engage patients earned Highland national recognition by Modern Healthcare magazine as one of the 150 Best Places to Work in Health Care in 2018. Under his leadership, the team in Shreveport oversaw the creation and opening of CHRISTUS Bossier Emergency Hospital, the first micro-hospital in Louisiana, to provide the region with a lower cost of care and faster service for their emergency needs. And he was recently named the Bossier Chamber’s 2018 Business Person of the Year.
Before he joined CHRISTUS, Palmer held a number of executive positions in his 17 years with Adventist Health system, including COO at Florida Hospital – Alamonte, a 364-bed facility in Orlando, and COO for Adventist’s Heartland Division, a three-hospital system in Sebring, Fla.
“I will cherish my years at CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier and working with the wonderful people who serve this ministry,” Palmer said. “I am most proud of becoming the authentic leader the sisters of our sponsoring congregations require all of us to be. Leaving at this time was not an easy decision for me, but it was made with the best intentions for my family and taking my kids home to be closer to their aunts, uncles and cousins.”
A search for Palmer’s replacement has begun. He has agreed to remain with the system until Jul. 1, 2019, unless a new permanent leader for the organization is identified before that time.
“We are sad to see Isaac go, but extend our deepest thanks for his service to our ministry and wish the whole Palmer family the best during this time of transition,” Karam said.
