Bayonne Medical Center’s management is changing, with former president Mark Spektor moving over to the Jersey City-based CarePoint Insurance, and newcomer Paul Minnick taking over the helm as chief operating officer.
The two changes will be announced this week, according to hospital spokesman Jarrod Bernstein.
“We love Mark. He made tremendous contributions during his time at Bayonne Medical Center and really moved the ball forward,” Bernstein said. “He raised the standards of operation around all aspects at the hospital.”
Dr. Vijay Singh will continue to be chief medical officer and Dan Kane continues as medical center board chairman. Dennis Kelly remains chief executive officer of CarePoint Health, the hospital’s parent company.
Minnick joins BMC as COO, the overall leader at the institution as part of CarePoint’s management strategy, according to Bernstein. The system’s other two hospitals, Christ Hospital in Jersey City and Hoboken University Medical Center, also have just a chief operating officer and chief medical officer. Kelly fills the CEO position for the three facilities. As with the departments of legal, finance and public relations, the CEO works across all three of the hospitals in the system.
Minnick brings more clinical experience to his new post than many would, rising through the healthcare ranks as a nurse, and then chief nursing officer, before being elevated to the executive management ranks.
“He’s really hands on with patient care, and has a really warm personality,” Bernstein said. “He’s going to be out there in Bayonne as part of the community. We’re really excited about having him.”
Minnick joins the CarePoint system from Beebe Healthcare and Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, Del., where he was chief operating officer and executive vice president. Prior to that, Minnick was vice president of patient care at Virtua Memorial Hospital, a four-hospital healthcare system in southern New Jersey.
“It’s very positive here, it’s something that gave me an interest in joining CarePoint,” he said. “I like that it’s a large system continuing to grow, and yet there’s a community-centered focus here in Bayonne.”
Since Minnick began work at Bayonne Medical Center last month, he already has ideas on areas he wants to make better.
“I want to improve on patient care here. We want to make sure we’re the provider of choice,” he said. “I want patients to have easy access. And the same thing with our providers; I want our doctors and surgeons to want to practice here.”
“We want to make sure we’re the provider of choice.” – Paul Minnick
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He also wants to grow the hospital’s general patient and surgical volumes. Among other areas of growth are cardiac care and oncology services.
Much of this will emanate from the medical center’s Emergency Department, where BMC is seeing its largest numbers in years.
“I want to make sure it’s a seamless system at Bayonne,” Minnick said. “Make sure patients have a clear progression of care through the CarePoint system.”
Wanting to hit the ground running, Minnick has already met with the hospital’s main union, Bayonne Mayor James Davis, and other city officials. He’s also attended a Bayonne Chamber of Commerce event.
Goals and vision
Meeting and greeting the rank and file and getting their support in what he attempts to achieve have been important at previous facilities for Minnick, and he feels no different about that here in Bayonne.
“I think I have the vision and leadership. I think I have the ability to get people to understand what their goals and responsibilities are,” Minnick said. “I have a clear track record of articulating what direction an organization is going in and getting people to understand how important each and everyone’s role is to meet that course.”
Other experience
Minnick also held several positions in the University of Pennsylvania health system. He started
his career as a staff nurse and nursing care coordinator at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
He earned a master’s degree in Nursing Administration from La Salle University in Philadelphia, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Delaware in Newark.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at JoePass@hudsonreporter.com.