Press Release

Hospital CEO Turnover Rate Remains Steady

 

For Immediate Release

CHICAGO, AUG. 8, 2023 – Hospital CEO positions turned over at a rate of 16% for the third consecutive year in 2022, according to a recent report by the American College of Healthcare Executives.

The 16% turnover rate in 2022, 2021 and 2020 is the lowest the industry has seen since 2011, when it also was at 16%. Turnover among hospital CEOs has trended downward since hitting 20% in 2013, the highest since ACHE began tracking this data in 1981.

“As hospitals continue to wrestle with workforce and financial challenges, the value of strong and capable leaders in healthcare has never been more important,” says Deborah J. Bowen, FACHE, CAE, ACHE’s president/CEO. “That makes succession planning such a critical piece to ensuring that healthcare organizations have a pipeline of leaders who are well-prepared to address the challenges of tomorrow.”

The CEO turnover rates listed below are based on changes in an organization's CEO, as reported to the American Hospital Association and confirmed from ACHE data and public sources.

American College of Healthcare Executives

Hospital CEO Turnover*

YEAR (Percent)** NUMBER OF HOSPITALS
2022 16 4,377
2021 16 4,378
2020 16 4,399
2019 17 4,438
2018 18 4,465
2017 18 4,435
2016 18 4,401
2015 18 4,448
2014 18 4,501
2013 20 4,546
2012 17 4,555
2011 16 4,542
2010 16 4,567
2009 18 4,582
2008 14 4,520
2007 15 4,496
2006 15 4,546
2005 14 4,512
2004 16 4,566
2003 14 4,569
2002 14 4,602
2001 15 4,624
2000 17 4,689
1999 18 4,744
1998 17 4,780
1997 16 4,842
1996 16 4,928
1995 17 4,940
1994 14 5,045
1993 14 5,030
1992 15 5,198
1991 17 5,294
1990 13 5,398
1989 16 5,454
1988 18 5,526
1987 18 5,583
1986 17 5,626
1985 16 5,651
1984 15 5,665
1983 13 5,672
1982 14 5,678
1981 14 5,687

* Nonfederal short term, general medical and surgical hospitals.

** Rates before 2016 are statistically adjusted to correct for errors in reporting. Based on a telephone survey in 2017 using a sample of 300 hospitals, we determined that adjustment of the 2016 and later rates was not necessary.

American College of Healthcare Executives–August 2023

Annual CEO Turnover by State

Nonfederal, General Medical and Surgical Hospitals – Calendar Year 2022

Rank State CEO Turnover Percent
  (High-turnover states)  
1 MONTANA 30
2 VERMONT 29
3 ALASKA 26
4 MISSOURI 25
5 MICHIGAN 24
6 ARKANSAS 24
7 HAWAII 24
8 NORTH DAKOTA 24
9 KANSAS 23
10 ALABAMA 23
11 NEVADA 21
12 OREGON 21
13 MARYLAND 20
14-15 IDAHO 20
14-15 NEBRASKA 20
16 TENNESSEE 20
17 CONNECTICUT 19
  (Medium-turnover states)  
18 MASSACHUSETTS 18
19 OKLAHOMA 18
20 FLORIDA 17
21 IOWA 17
22 ARIZONA 17
23-24 CALIFORNIA 17
23-24 DIST. OF COLUMBIA 17
25 WASHINGTON 16
26-27 KENTUCKY 16
26-27 WEST VIRGINIA 16
28 TEXAS 16
29 WYOMING 15
30 MAINE 15
31 MINNESOTA 15
32 PENNSYLVANIA 15
33 LOUISIANA 14
34 NEW MEXICO 14
35 GEORGIA 14
  (Low-turnover states)  
36 INDIANA 13
37 MISSISSIPPI 12
38 ILLINOIS 12
39 OHIO 12
40 NEW HAMPSHIRE 12
41 WISCONSIN 11
42 COLORADO 11
43 SOUTH DAKOTA 10
44 NEW YORK 10
45 VIRGINIA 9
46 SOUTH CAROLINA 9
47 NEW JERSEY 8
48 NORTH CAROLINA 7
49-50 PUERTO RICO 2
49-50 UTAH 2
51-52 DELAWARE 0
51-52 RHODE ISLAND 0
  US Total (50 states, DC, Puerto Rico) 16

About the American College of Healthcare Executives

The American College of Healthcare Executives is an international professional society of more than 48,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems and other healthcare organizations. ACHE’s mission is to advance our members and healthcare management excellence. ACHE offers its prestigious FACHE® credential, signifying board certification in healthcare management. ACHE's established network of 76 chapters provides access to networking, education and career development at the local level. In addition, ACHE is known for its magazine, Healthcare Executive, and its career development and public policy programs. Through such efforts, ACHE works toward its vision of being the preeminent professional society for leaders dedicated to improving health.

The Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives was established to further advance healthcare management excellence through education and research. The Foundation of ACHE is known for its educational programs—including the annual Congress on Healthcare Leadership, which draws more than 4,000 participants—and groundbreaking research. Its publishing division, Health Administration Press, is one of the largest publishers of books and journals on health services management including textbooks for college and university courses.

Contact:

Randy Liss
Director of Communications
Department of Communications and Marketing
American College of Healthcare Executives
300 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1900
Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 424-9417
rliss@ache.org