Current division president Michael Joyce to retire after 33-year career with the health system

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA), one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, today announced that it has appointed Richard Hammett as president of HCA Healthcare’s Tallahassee-based North Florida Division, effective June 1, 2020. Hammett will assume leadership from Michael Joyce, a 33-year veteran of the organization, who will retire on the same date.

Hammett has been with HCA Healthcare for 15 years and currently serves as president and chief executive officer of Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado, a 408-bed acute care hospital and level 1 trauma center that serves the Rocky Mountain region. Before assuming that role in 2015, Hammett held numerous leadership positions within HCA Healthcare, including serving as president and chief executive officer of The Medical Center of Aurora in Aurora, Colorado. Hammett also served as the chief operating officer and interim chief executive officer of St. David's Medical Center in Austin, Texas.

“Richard is an accomplished healthcare leader with a proven history of generating hospital growth and advancing clinical quality,” said Chuck Hall, president of HCA Healthcare’s National Group. “His deep roots with our company and experience in different markets make him uniquely qualified to lead our North Florida Division into the future.”

In his new role as president of the North Florida Division, Hammett will lead the division and its 14 affiliated hospital campuses and six surgery centers across North and Central Florida. He will also serve as leader to the division’s more than 14,000 employees.

Joyce is retiring after spending 33 years with HCA Healthcare. In his role as president of the North Florida Division, Joyce led the development of four Level II trauma programs, 18 free-standing ERs and 24 GME programs. He has held multiple chief executive officer roles within the organization, including Summerville Medical Center in Summerville, South Carolina, Port St. Lucie Medical Center in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and Trident Health System in Charleston, South Carolina.

“Michael is a phenomenal leader and hospital operator who has been instrumental in mentoring our emerging hospital leaders as well as consulting some of the most accomplished executives across our organization,” said Hall. “He has been a longtime colleague and friend of the Tallahassee community, and will be greatly missed. We wish him all the best in his next chapter.”