Temple University Hospital CEO steps down

Temple University Hospital‘s CEO has stepped down and will be replaced by John N. Kastanis, a healthcare consultant from Navigant (NYSE:NCI), a Chicago firm that has offices in Philadelphia.

Sandy Gomberg worked for the Temple University Health System for 14 years, three as CEO of Temple University Hospital, according to a letter from Larry Kaiser, CEO of the Temple University Health System. She will stay on for another week to help with the transition. Kastanis takes over the position Dec. 19.

Kastanis has experience leading teaching hospitals, according to the letter. He will serve as interim CEO until a permanent replacement is found. Kastanis has also served as transitional CEO at Quincy Medical Center in Quincy, Massachusetts and for Brooklyn-Queens Health Care in New York, according to a spokeswoman for Temple University Hospital.

It has been a year of transitions for the North Philadelphia hospital system. Kaiser, who also serves as Dean of Temple University Medical School, joined in April. Earlier this month it hired Toyoda Yoshiya from University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine to head up cardiothoracic transplant surgery and preside over the re-introduction of the hospital’s heart and lung transplant program.