Chief Medical Officer Ralph Yates, DO, retires Aug. 1

Other leadership roles shift

Salem Health’s Chief Medical Officer Ralph Yates, DO, retires Friday, Aug. 1. Dr. Yates has been a valuable member of Salem Health Medical Group since 2014, serving as both a primary care provider and chief medical officer. 

Throughout his tenure, Dr. Yates continued to dedicate one day per week to patient care. We are grateful for his exceptional contributions and wish him all the best in his retirement. We look forward to sharing more information with you about an opportunity for his colleagues to thank Ralph for his service to our community very soon!

In the interim, responsibilities will begin shifting as we prepare for Dr. Yate’s exit. 

I am pleased to announce that Matt Boles, MD, will serve as the new chief medical officer of Salem Health. A Salem native, Dr. Boles has been an anesthesiologist at Salem Hospital since 2007 and held the role of vice president of medical affairs since 2018 and executive vice president of surgical services since 2022. As CMO, Dr. Boles will continue caring for patients in the operating room one day each week.

As Dr. Boles transitions into his new role, surgical services oversight will move to James Parr, executive vice president of operations and chief financial officer. Josh Franke, who has been integral in the procedural capacity work, will assume the role of interim vice president of surgical services, reporting to James.

Rehabilitation services and the Salem Health Spine Center will report to Sarah Horn, senior vice president and chief nursing and operations officer. Phil Haworth will serve as director of rehabilitation and will report to systems director Karl Kamper, who will add rehabilitation to his current responsibilities over imaging and laboratory. The Salem Health Spine Center will report up through Kim Alt, NTCU Manager.

The Salem Health Bariatric Surgery Center and anesthesiology will transition to the Salem Health Medical Group under Katie Dobler, vice president of the Salem Health Medical Group, and Christine Clarke, MD, chief medical officer of the Salem Health Medical Group. The Joint Center of Excellence and the Stroke Center of Excellence will also move under the Salem Health Medical Group. Katie and Dr. Clarke will share executive oversight. Elisa Bledsoe will remain as director for bariatrics and anesthesiology, while adding the Joint and Stroke Centers of Excellence to her role.

Pharmacy, Environmental Services, and Lift Team and Transport will move under the direction of John Bauer, chief legal officer.

These changes will become effective Monday, May 19, except for anesthesiology. Anesthesiology will transition to the Salem Health Medical Group by Aug. 1, coinciding with Dr. Boles’ starting date as CMO. These changes represent a significant shift, so I ask for your patience as we work to operationalize these new roles and responsibilities. I am confident that our team of talented directors, managers and medical staff leaders will collaborate with the executive team to ensure a smooth transition.

Please join me in celebrating Dr. Yates' retirement and congratulating Dr. Boles, Dr. Clarke, James, John, Katie, Sarah, Josh, Elisa, Phil, Kim and Karl on their new roles and responsibilities.