Arkansas Business

Tim Johnsen has resigned as president of Mercy in Hot Springs effective Dec. 7, the hospital announced Tuesday.

Mercy said Johnsen has accepted the position of president of Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. Kim Day, president of Mercy’s central region, which includes Arkansas, will be interim president in Hot Springs.

The hospital said "Day will provide leadership until the planned transfer of Mercy Hot Springs to Capella Healthcare is finalized."

"We regret Tim’s departure from Mercy and are appreciative of the strong leadership he has provided over many years," said Lynn Britton, Mercy president and CEO. "Tim has led our ministry in Hot Springs through successes in quality and customer satisfaction achievements, and in recent years through the challenges of an increasingly competitive healthcare environment. 

"We wish him well in his future pursuits."

Johnsen joined Mercy in Hot Springs in 2006 as executive vice president and chief operating officer. He became president in 2008.

Capella Healthcare of Franklin, Tenn., which owns National Park Medical Center in Hot Springs, and Mercy Health, which owns Mercy Hospital and Mercy Clinic in Hot Springs, have signed an asset purchase agreement for the two Hot Springs organizations to merge under Capella's ownership.  

The deal was initially announced in April. Mercy's relationship to the Catholic Church requires approval from the Vatican, and last week the Vatican asked Mercy to engage in further discussions with the Diocese of Little Rock to address concerns about the transfer of ownership.