SALT LAKE CITY — After nine years overseeing the University of Utah's hospitals and clinics, CEO David Entwistle is leaving to take a top job at Stanford Health Care.
Officials from both organizations announced Wednesday that Entwistle has been appointed president and CEO at Stanford Health Care in California.
Vivian Lee, CEO of University of Utah Health Care and dean at the University of Utah School of Medicine, said in a statement that Entwistle will be "greatly missed."
She said his contributions took the health system "to new heights."
Entwistle has led the University of Utah hospital system — the only academic medical center in the Intermountain West — since 2007.
According to Lee, Entwistle steered the organization through a revamp of how it delivered care and measured the patient experience during risky economic times. In the past six years, the university system rose from among the worst-ranked academic medical centers in the nation to the top 10.
"These accomplishments are due in large part to David's leadership," Lee said.
Stanford Health Care board chair John Levin said in a statement that Entwistle has a track record of dedication "to the critically important role of academic medical centers in advancing human health."
The health system plans to open a new hospital in 2018 and is pursuing research in precision medicine, a field in which the University of Utah is nationally recognized.
Before joining the University of Utah, Entwistle worked at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and earned a master's in health services administration at Arizona State University.
Entwistle's final day at the University of Utah will be May 27, according to Lee.
Chief financial officer Gordon Crabtree will serve as interim CEO while the university undergoes a national search to replace Entwistle.
Email: dchen@deseretnews.com
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