Steven Salyer Named New CEO of Watsonville Community Hospital

Steven Salyer has been named the new Chief Executive Officer of Watsonville Community Hospital, effective July 6.

Salyer, who has 14 years of hospital leadership experience, comes to Watsonville Community Hospital from UP Health System – Marquette, a 222-bed specialty care and Level 2 trauma hospital in Marquette, Michigan, affiliated with Duke University School of Medicine. As Chief Operating Officer, Salyer oversaw all UP Health System – Marquette’s ancillary hospital operations including the cancer center, cardiology service line, employed physician clinics, surgery center, and imaging centers. Previously, Salyer served as CEO of Sebastian River Medical Center in Sebastian, Florida, and as COO of Indian River Medical Center in Vero Beach, Florida.

In 2010, Salyer led a joint venture acquisition of Starke Regional Medical Center in Starke, Florida, in conjunction with Shands University of Florida. As CEO of the hospital, Salyer oversaw the creation of several new service lines as well as significant improvements in clinical quality, employee and physician satisfaction, and volume growth. Prior to that, he served as COO of Harton Regional Medical Center in Tullahoma, Tennessee. Before beginning his career in healthcare, Salyer served as a captain in the United States Marine Corps for five years, both in peacetime and in combat support operations in Iraq.

“Steven is an accomplished and innovative healthcare executive with extensive experience running complex hospital operations, including trauma, cardiac, cancer and surgical services,” said Bruce Grimshaw, Prospect Medical’s Senior Vice President, Hospital Operations/Chief Operating Officer of Hospitals – National. “He has a strong track record of increasing patient, employee and physician satisfaction, establishing cultures of excellence, recruiting new physicians, and improving quality. Steven’s leadership will be a great asset to the hospital, and he will be an active and engaged member of the Watsonville community.”

“I am excited to bring my experience and expertise in leading effective hospital operations to Watsonville Community Hospital,” said Salyer. “My primary focus will be on ensuring the operational success of the hospital as one of the leading providers of healthcare in the area. To achieve this goal, I am committed to building a strong partnership with the Watsonville Community Hospital medical staff and employees and working closely with them to enhance clinical quality, patient safety, and overall customer satisfaction.”

Salyer has a bachelor of science degree from East Tennessee State University and a master’s degree in business administration from New York Institute of Technology. He also holds certificates in Lean/Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints, and executive leadership, as well as Marine Corps officer leadership training.

About Watsonville Community Hospital

Watsonville Community Hospital is a 106-bed full-service acute care hospital serving the city of Watsonville and the surrounding culturally diverse tri-county area along California’s Central Coast. The hospital offers a wide range of quality medical and surgical services including cardiac care, diagnostic imaging, emergency services, general surgery, maternity services, orthopedics, pediatrics, rehabilitation services, robotic surgery, urology, vascular surgery, women’s health services, and wound care. For more information, go to www.watsonvillehospital.com.