Fuller leaving Seton Highland Lakes for 6 months in Arizona
Arie Dejung will serve as the interim vice president and administrator during Fuller’s absence. Dejung, who has been with the hospital six weeks, currently is the director of non-clinical operations and will maintain some of those duties as well, officials said.
Fuller will be taking the temporary assignment with Ascension Health in Tucson Dec. 1 for a six-month obligation as the interim senior vice president and chief executive officer at Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital.
“I am honored to accept this interim position and look forward to the challenge,” Fuller said. “I have confidence the team here at Seton Highland Lakes will continue to move forward with our commitment to providing great healthcare for the Highland Lakes.”
Hospital officials say Fuller’s expertise in finance and hospital operations are what made him an ideal choice for the position. He has been with Seton Highland Lakes for almost two years.
Seton Highland Lakes and the Seton Family of Hospitals are part of Ascension Health, the nation’s largest Catholic and the largest private nonprofit health system. The system has more than 75 acute care, long-term care, and other-healthcare facilities in 20 states and the District of Columbia.
Carondelet Health Network is Southern Arizona’s oldest and largest non-profit healthcare provider and is also part of Ascension Health. The Carondelet Health Network has asked for interim operational assistance during its current leadership transition.
Charles Barnett, president and CEO for the Seton Family of Hospitals, recommended Fuller for the temporary assignment when Carondelet asked for interim hospital assistance during their leadership transition.
Carondelet recently approached the Seton Family of Hospitals asking officials if they were willing to loan a Seton executive to St. Mary’s Hospital while they searched for a new executive officer, officials said. They needed someone to play an immediate part in addressing the operational needs for their 402-bed facility, Seton officials said.
“Scott’s background in healthcare operations and finance coupled with his initiatives that have produced record growth at Seton Highland Lakes make him the right person for this challenge,” Barnett said. “As interim senior vice president and CEO, he will lay the groundwork for the new CEO and address that hospital’s current operational needs. Scott’s time in Arizona will add to his already impressive list of skills and experience, which will be put back to good use when he returns to the Seton Family of Hospitals.”
Fuller earned his bachelor of science degree from Brigham Young University in 1992 and a master of health services administration degree in 1994 from Arizona State University.
He has a background in finance and administration at several medical facilities in Arizona and Texas. He also has experience working for an investment banking firm in the healthcare sector.
byoung@thepicayune.com