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Tampa General CEO Steps Down

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
The Florida Channel
Jim Burkhart

Tampa General Hospital president and CEO Jim Burkhart abruptly resigned Tuesday, officials said.

The hospital released few details about Burkhart's resignation. His name and biography have been removed from the hospital's website. 

Burkhart came to Tampa General nearly four years ago from Shands Jacksonville Medical Center where he was president and CEO.

“We appreciate all that Jim has done during his time here,” John Brabson, Tampa General’s board chairman, said in a release.

Burkhart was recruited because of his experience working in a teaching facility closely affiliated to the University of Florida.  

Tampa General is closely  affiliated with the University of South Florida's Morsani College of Medicine and is home to the school's largest residency program. 
 
“We are working with USF Health and others to create a world class healthcare system,” Brabson said in Tuesday’s release.

The hospital's chief financial officer Steve Short will serve as its acting president while a national search is conducted.

The board’s decision to appoint Short, who has served as the hospital’s CFO for 16 years, was unanimous, according to the release.

“Steve Short has all the trust and confidence of the board,” Brabson said. “We will immediately initiate a national search and are confident we will attract truly exceptional candidates to help us achieve this goal.”

In August, Tampa General was named the best hospital in the region and the third-best in Florida by U.S. News & World Report.

Julio Ochoa is editor of Health News Florida.