New Interim CEO named for beleaguered Alaska Psychiatric Institute

(KTUU)
Published: Jan. 14, 2020 at 2:45 PM AKST
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The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services has named a new interim Chief Executive Officer for the Alaska Psychiatric Institute. Noel Rea will take the helm for the time being. John Lee, who had been serving as acting CEO, will return to his role as the director of the Senior and Disabilities Services Division, the department wrote in a news release.

The facility is just returning to good standing with federal and state regulators. On Dec. 27, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services notified the department that API is “in substantial compliance” with its requirements and found no deficiencies, the department wrote. That determination comes after API was given a “notice of termination” from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in September of 2019 for being out of compliance with federal requirements. That action has since been withdrawn based on the new findings.

API has also been removed from a State Survey Agency Jurisdiction through The Joint Commission, a healthcare accreditation body.

Rea has 30 years of experience in Alaska with a number of health care delivery systems, including being a senior director at NetworxHealth, and an interim CEO for other Alaska hospitals, including South Peninsula Hospital, Cordova Community Medical Center, and Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium.

The API Governing Body continues to search for a permanent CEO.

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