Meadowlands names Considine new CEO

Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center reached out to a longtime insurance industry leader to become its new CEO, calling it "a new stage of evolution for the Secaucus-based community hospital and medical center."

Thomas B. Considine, the former state insurance commissioner and current COO of MagnaCare, will take over as CEO on May 1.

Acting CEO Lynn McVey was named chief operating officer.

Dr. Richard Lipsky, chairman of the Meadlowlands board, said Considine's background was a key to the announcement.

"Tom's reputation as a direct and straightforward change agent for corporate culture and operations demonstrates Meadowlands' commitment to fully engage, in a transparent way, in the public discourse that is the health care marketplace in 2014," Lipsky said. "The entire hospital board puts its full faith and trust in Tom to further transform the hospital."

Meadowlands, a for-profit hospital, has come under fire recently.

It clashed with its nurses' union, in part over staffing issues. And it was named the most expensive hospital in the country in a disputed finding in January.

Last fall, however, MHMC was recognized with an "A" grade for patient safety by The Leapfrog Group, the country's leading watchdog for patient safety and health care quality. - Beth Fitzgerald