Novant Health named Alice Pope as its new executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective May 13. She has been CFO at Falls Church, Virginia-based Inova Health System, and had similar posts at healthcare systems in Arizona and Tennessee during a nearly 35-year career.
“In addition to her outstanding credentials in delivering exceptional financial performance, Alice brings a collaborative and outcome-driven mindset,” Novant CEO Carl Armato said in a release.
Pope is a graduate of the University of Virginia with an MBA from East Tennessee State University. She succeeds Fred Hargett, who left the CFO post last year after 15 years.
Separately, the Fitch Ratings agency said Wednesday it has removed a “negative ratings watch” from Novant Health, the Winston-Salem Journal reported. Fitch had issued the rating in December after Novant announced plans to buy three South Carolina hospitals for $2.4 billion. It has since closed on the transaction. The system has a strong investment grade rating under Fitch’s system.
Novant Health comprises 19 hospitals and nearly 40,000 employees, including 2,000-plus physicians. It had total operating revenue of $8.29 billion in its 2023 fiscal year, the Winston-Salem newspaper said. It is the second-largest North Carolina-based hospital system based on revenue, trailing Charlotte-based Advocate Health, which has annual revenue topping $28 billion.