By Mark Woolsey

Photo above from PR Newswire announcement

The Wellstar Health System will soon have new top leadership.

Wellstar trustees announced Tuesday that Ketul J. Patel has been picked to take the helm this fall as president and chief executive officer, succeeding Candice L. Saunders, who announced her retirement in January.

Patel currently is CEO of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and president of the Pacific Northwest Region of CommonSpirit Health.

Search committee head and former Wellstar Board of Trustees Chair Frank Ros said the group considered nearly 200 candidates both external and internal but that “ Ketul stood out for his experience leading transformational growth while remaining focused on the  needs  of team members, patients, and the community.”

Wellstar officials say Patel’s track record includes a substantial number of highlights, including leading the 2021 merger of two Pacific Northwest health care organizations to form Virginia Mason Franciscan Health.

He’s also won numerous accolades, including landing three times on Modern Healthcare’s list of the 100 most influential people in the health industry.

“It’s an honor to join the Wellstar team and help carry forward its mission of providing compassionate, world-class care to every person, every time,” said Patel in a news release announcing the appointment.

Patel is expected to move into the Wellstar job in late October, assuming command of a sprawling health system with 11 hospitals, including Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in Marietta, plus numerous other care centers and medical offices and boasting 33,000 employees.