STAFF EDITORIAL: New Health Sys. leadership

Penn is finally getting down to business with the speedy appointment of Peter Traver as the new head of UPHS. Times certainly have changed. Over spring break, President Rodin announced that Traber would be William Kelley's permanent replacement at the Health System's helm. And in a sudden reversal, Martin returns to his post as COO while the Hunter Group -- reputed to be the reason for Martin's sudden resignation three weeks ago -- has for the time being been sent packing. In order to continue on the long road back to fiscal stability, the beleaguered Health System needs strong and clear leadership. While the recent administrative turmoil is unfortunate, it may pay dividends in the long run if these recent appointments succeed in restoring clear leadership to UPHS. The Health System is a business much like any other, and cannot move ahead with its long-term agenda -- in this case, remedying severe financial problems -- under interim leaders who could be replaced at any time. This is a business that lost nearly $300 million over the last three years and brought down the bond rating of its parent company, the University. The Hunter Group -- which has a reputation for recommending drastic cutbacks at troubled medical centers -- was hired to clean up the mess. But its mission is now by and large completed, and Traber and Martin now have to finish the job themselves. And Rodin's decision to appoint Traber as the new CEO so soon after Kelley's ouster is a promising sign that the University will give him its full support. The Hunter Group leaves behind hundreds of recommendations for Traber and Martin to implement, but only time will tell if they will be able to stop the bleeding. The administration's confidence in the Health System's new leadership team is high, but at the very least the presence of such a team represents a step in the right direction.