Loretto Hospital CEO George Miller is out, following a tenure marked by turmoil over improper COVID-19 vaccinations given by the hospital.
Loretto spokeswoman Bonni Pear declined Tuesday to discuss the circumstances of Miller’s departure citing a “policy of not discussing personnel issues.” She would not say whether he was fired or resigned.
But she provided a statement from the hospital’s board of trustees saying: “George Miller is no longer the president and CEO of The Loretto Hospital or affiliated with the organization. Our leadership team, team members, and medical staff remain unwaveringly committed to providing the highest level of patient care and advocacy for the Austin community.”
Employees of the West Side hospital were told of Miller’s departure Tuesday. Tesa Anewishki, executive director of The Loretto Hospital Foundation, will serve as acting president and CEO.
Attempts to reach Miller for comment were not immediately successful Tuesday afternoon.
It was unclear Tuesday whether the leadership change was related to the controversy that swirled around the early days of Loretto’s COVID-19 vaccination program.
In March of last year, Loretto’s board reprimanded Miller and former hospital Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer Dr. Anosh Ahmed after the hospital improperly vaccinated ineligible workers at Trump Tower downtown and Cook County judges.
The hospital’s board decided to suspend Miller for two weeks without pay, and Ahmed resigned.
After the allegations came to light, the city of Chicago temporarily withheld first doses of coronavirus vaccines from Loretto while it conducted a review.
In May, a federal grand jury subpoenaed the state Department of Public Health for information on dozens of people who were given shots by Loretto in March — the same time frame as the vaccinations given at Trump Tower and elsewhere, according to records released by the state.
That investigation later expanded to include Valley Kingdom Ministries International Church in Oak Forest where hundreds of congregants were allegedly vaccinated while shots were still in short supply and only supposed to be given to people ages 65 and older and front-line workers. Block Club Chicago had previously reported that the hospital administered vaccines in February 2021 to more than 200 members of the church, where Miller was a member.
Miller became president and CEO of Loretto in 2017, replacing Dr. Sonia Mehta. Miller was former president and CEO of CommUnityCare Health Centers in Texas and served on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
------
